A Life Less Ordinary
by HilaryHilary
Summary: Half sisters Brooke and Haley detest each other, but only begin to truly fued when Brooke attracts Haley's boyfriend Lucas and Haley falls for Nathan, Brooke's best friend.
1. Accusations and Retorts

A Life Less Ordinary

_This story is dedicated to Ange._

As Haley James felt the sparks of envy radiate from every Tree Hill citizen she passed, she felt proud. It never occurred to her that they should be proud of her for her brains, or her service to the community. To her, their envy was enough.

Lucas Scott looked up in surprise when his girlfriend's car pulled into the circular drive of his red brick mansion. He ambled over to her, refusing to hurry.

"I thought I was going to pick you up," he said, eyeing her Juicy sweatsuit.

"What, afraid this'll make you any less of a man? Get in," she said. Lucas appeared to consider his options for a moment. They had, after all, taken his car the previous day, and arguing with Haley was generally not a good idea. Reluctantly he got into the passenger side.

Yes, Haley James did have reasons for her pride. Her red convertible, her popularity, her beauty, her status as cheerleading captain dating the basketball captain made her everything that was enviable in Tree Hill.

"I have basketball practise after school today," he said, as they pulled into the school parking lot and she parked.

"I have cheerleading," she said.

"Cheerleading goes on longer than basketball," he complained. Haley smirked.

"Guess that means you're going to have to hang around for a while longer and stare at me prancing around in a skintight uniform," she said. He smiled, leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips.

Haley's smile turned to a frown as another car pulled into the lot: a tired Jeep that had seen many, many better days. Lucas followed her gaze to the two people getting out of it, talking animatedly: a brunette girl with sparkling brown eyes, dressed in inexpensive clothes that she managed to wear with style, and a dark haired boy, Lucas' height, with deep blue eyes and a brilliant smile. The only two people in Tree Hill that Haley truly detested.

Brooke Davis and Nathan Lee.

Lucas smiled at Brooke. He couldn't help it. Haley was his girlfriend and he loved her, but Brooke Davis fascinated him. Haley was so predictable to him. Moody, snappy, but infinitely predictable. He hadn't even truly registered Brooke's existence since a few months previously, but he'd always known she was around.

Of course he did. She was his girlfriend's sister. Half-sister.

Lucas grabbed Haley's arm and attempted to steer her away from the parking lot, hoping inexplicably that she hadn't noticed them, hoping inexplicably that the sight of Bevin with a new hair cut would attract more attention.

It didn't.

"It's amazing what you can do with what resources you have. Your clothes… they're really _special_," said Haley, smirking at her slightly elder sister.

"I always thought it was amazing what you could do with so little fabric," retorted Brooke angrily, blushing just the same.

Lucas coughed to hide the laugh that rose in his throat, but Brooke noticed, and looked at him oddly. He almost blushed at his imagine in her eyes: just another basketball players infatuated with voluptuous little sister.

"Oh, that stings. Because you know I definitely dress for your opinion," said Haley, rolling her eyes empathetically.

"What, you hear things besides praise? Who knew?" said Brooke.

"I guess that's what we have in common-I'm lacking in hearing and you're lacking in taste," snapped Haley, smirking both at Lucas and Brooke's outfit.

"Knock it off," said Nathan, stepping between them.

"Yeah, because I'm going to listen to you," said Haley, contradicting herself and flouncing off. Lucas offered a half apologetic smile before running off to join her and slipping his arm around her waist, squeezing her ass.

"Sometimes I really, really hate her," fumed Brooke, double-checking her reflection.

"Don't bother. She's just an empty headed cheerleader," said Nathan comfortingly.

"It's even weirder to think that I could have turned out to be like her if our dad had married my mom and not hers," said Brooke. Nathan smiled down at her.

"You could never be like her. First of all I can't see you as head cheerleader…" began Nathan, as the two made their way through the central hallway to their lockers.

"Not that you'd mind," she teased.

"Not that I'd mind," he agreed. It was a silent agreement that he had: they didn't date, because they'd grown up together, but he would acknowledge her as a woman when the topic came up.

"And secondly, like you'd date him," said Nathan, as the other set appeared through the opposite doors. Brooke looked up at Lucas Scott, and noticed instantly the casual way he carried his books, the twinkle in his eyes, the light hair on his face. Brooke gasped as they met eyes and she felt a shiver in her spine.

"God no," she agreed, thankful that he didn't notice.

* * *

"Who's that guy that's always hanging around?" wondered Haley, looking spitefully at him. 

"Oh, Nathan?" pondered Lucas.

"Sure, whatever. Could he want her more?"

"We don't know that he doesn't have her," said Lucas.

"Please," she said, scoffing at the very idea that Haley James would be anything but not up to date in the latest gossip.

"So, we meeting at your house later?" he asked.

"Why?" she asked innocently.

Lucas smiled. He enjoyed Haley's company, even if their relationship wasn't as healthy as it had once been.

"Because if it's this…" Haley paused to brush a kiss on her unsuspecting boyfriend's lips. "We can do it right here."

As Lucas pulled her into a supply closet, her giggle could be heard along the entire hall.


	2. Testing Boundaries

Chapter Two: Testing Boundaries

_Author's note: The character Robert James should be called Jimmy James, but don't the show writers realize that Jimmy is short for James and that Haley's father would be called James James?_

Brooke smiled when she let herself into her apartment and saw Nathan, sitting on her sofa, his large feet planted firmly on the ground, staring intently at the game he was playing-his favourite, something to do with pirates, or barbarians. Brooke never could tell the difference.

She sat on the sofa and drew her legs underneath her, looking with satisfaction around her small home.

"God, don't you have anywhere else to be?" she asked, grabbing the controller abandoned on the couch and joining the game.

"Why would I want to be somewhere else?" he teased. Brooke wasn't really asking him to leave, Nathan wasn't really imposing. He had a key to the place, full access to the refrigerator. He kept his Playstation at her house because he spent so much more time there. She knew she'd be lonely without him.

In her childhood it had never occurred to her that Brooke actually _liked_ Tree Hill, or it's inhabitants, but when she'd turned fifteen, and her mother had announced that the two of them would be moving to New York on a business transfer, Brooke had rebelled and refused to leave, and had refused to let her mother stay. She'd been on her own for almost two years, with the exception of her mother's occasional visits and constant phone calls.

"_But of course,_" reflected Brooke, "_I'm never truly alone."_ Nathan had been around as long as she could remember, through thick and thin. Though lately she'd come to the sickening idea that he wanted more than friendship, she knew she couldn't give him that. Brooke loved her friend and even noticed that he was handsome, but she knew they could never be a couple.

Nathan had yet to figure out if he actually wanted his best friend, who he thought of as his little sister, or if he was just lonely and in need of something more, and she seemed so available. And she was gorgeous, even he knew that. Her wavy dark hair, her characteristic face, her laughing brown eyes. Perfect figure, ready laugh. Nathan never regretted their friendship but if he did, it would be because if they hadn't grown up together, nothing would keep him from her.

Finally Whitey, the varsity basketball coach, told the team to hit the showers, but instead Lucas turned around and sat on the bleachers to watch Haley, his best friend, Jake, faithfully following.

He couldn't help but grin as his girlfriend demonstrated the cheers to 'her' squad. As she twisted and bent, went down into the splits, he couldn't help but feel turned on and wish that her practice could end sooner.

He sauntered over to her when she saw done and put his arms around her.

"You ready to get out of here?" he asked, trying to keep the eagerness out of his voice.

"I have to clean up. You need a shower," she said. Her fingertips grazed his hardness through his basketball shorts. She rose onto her tip toes to whisper into his ear, and lightly licked his earlobe: "And apparently a cold one."

"She's something else," said Jake, as the two of them walked off.

"What?" asked Lucas, laughing.

"She's so original. It can be annoying, but it's refreshing," said Jake, smiling.

"Tired of cheerleaders?" asked Lucas, in mock sympathy, as the stripped off their sweaty jerseys and made their way to the showers.

"Not my thing," he said briefly.

"Peyton…" Lucas began.

"That's over," he said shortly. There was evidence to suggest that he missed her still, but the two had split amicably a year previously.

"Whatever you say, man," said Lucas, awkwardly turning away as the moment became too personal.

"MOM?" yelled Haley into her large home. "DADDY?"

Neither of them expected the two to be home. Her father, Robert James, spent most of his time at his insurance firm and her mother was a workaholic lawyer. Haley wasn't close to her parents, and it made her home the perfect location for the wildest parties.

Haley and Lucas fell onto the couch, kissing heavily. Lucas' hand slowly made his way under her shirt and up toward her breast, and she obligingly undid her sweater.

As she did, her thoughts plunged suddenly to Brooke and that boy-what was his name again?-making those snide comments about her. Suddenly turned off, she removed her hand from her and frowned.

"What?" he asked.

"I was just thinking of Brooke, and that stupid guy," she said.

"You're thinking of him _now_?" asked Lucas, looking pained. Haley slapped his shoulder in annoyance, peeved that he'd perceived her so incorrectly.

"Shut up. Since when are you territorial?" she demanded.

"For God's sake Hales, we've done nothing but bicker for months. Don't I have a right to worry?" he asked. She levelly matched his stare.

"You could screw my best friend and I wouldn't care," she said evenly. He sighed in frustration and remembered how perfectly their relationship had worked out in the beginning.

"Should you think better of me by now?" he asked, standing over her.

"You did once, I've made sure it won't hurt me the second time," she said, a grain of grief in her empty voice.

"And people think we have this perfect relationship," he moaned.

"It's what comes of going at it like rabbits during school hours," she guessed.

He paused for a moment, and stared at her. Once upon a time, she'd seemed so spontaneous and incredible to him. Now she seemed so lonely.

"I love you," he said eventually. She almost laughed.

"No you don't," she said.

"I do. I've wanted this for as long as I can remember," he said.

"Luke, I knocked down a castle you were making out of blocks when we were six and you didn't forgive me until we were ten," she said.

"For better or worse, you left an impression," he said, smiling, sitting down and easing her onto his lap. He relaxed when she didn't protest.

"I'm good at that," she agreed.

"You," he said, playfully poking the tip of her nose, "are good at everything."

_Author's note: Just in case you're confused, I'm going to spell out the situation better now._

_Haley and Brooke share the same father, in a Dan Scott like situation. Haley and Lucas have been together for about a year, Nathan and Brooke have been friends all their lives. Lucas and Nathan are not related. Lucas' parents are Keith and Karen Scott, Nathan's are Deb and Dan Lee. This takes place in their junior year and is obviously completely AU._


	3. What the Good Girls Shy Away From

Chapter Three

_Author's note: This story is dedicated to Ange._

Lucas paced impatiently in the hall, waiting for Haley to come out of her last period class. In their latest time together, he'd begun to get the sickening impression that he was not being the boyfriend he could be, that if he kept it up he would not be a boyfriend at all.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the door he'd been staring intently at only moments ago. Didn't notice when a girl came out of the open door, smashed directly into him and sent her supplies scattering throughout the hall.

Lucas cursed when the other students began to stream out, and fell down to his knees before helping her gather all the pens.

"Lucas?" he heard her say. He looked up in surprise and met eyes that were brown and startled.

"Brooke?" he said.

"In the flesh," she said slowly.

"Sorry… I didn't mean it," he said, indicating her widespread school supplies.

Brooke Davis almost snorted. "Right."

"I don't have anything against you, Brooke," he said. She appeared startled when she heard him say her name, but he didn't understand why. Not then he didn't.

They stared at each other for a moment longer. Lucas was not surprised, though Brooke was, when a shock of electricity vibrated through her as he accidentally grazed her hand. And grazed it again, though perhaps not accidentally.

"Wow, most guys would have at least sprung for a motel," said Haley, her voice slicing through the moment. Before she could see her face, Brooke heard tears on her half-sister's voice and instantly felt remorseful. Lucas sprang to his feet.

"Hales…" he said, but she was already gone. Brooke took one step down the hall before he caught her arm and instantly released it.

"Better if I go," he said tactfully. She nodded slowly and offered a half smile before he sped of.

Nathan came up behind Brooke and spoke to her, but she didn't notice him. He tapped her shoulder and spoke again:

"What was that all about?" he asked. Brooke stared at him for a moment.

"Honestly? I have no idea," she said wistfully.

XXXXXXX

"Haley?" he said, once he'd caught up to her. Haley angrily whipped her head around to face him, her light brown hair flying everywhere.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"I knocked into her. I was helping her pick up her supplies," he said, honestly amazed.

"That's not what I meant. You've wanted her for weeks, Luke. I've seen it," said Haley sadly. He opened his mouth to deny it.

"I…" he began.

"You can tell me you love me all you want, but the fact is that I'm never going to believe it, not after everything that's happened," she said sadly. Surprising him, she reached up, placed a hand on the back of his neck and pulled him down for a deep kiss.

"I'm not giving up on this," he said.

Haley nodded silently, praying he'd go away again. With a kiss on her forehead, he satisfied her wish. Almost instantly her look hardened-no one flirted with her boyfriend and got away with it, least of all Brooke Davis. And for that, her sister-half sister-would pay…

XXXXXXX

They had taken Haley's car again that day, so being unable to drive it home, Lucas decided to walk.

He paused when he passed his favourite coffee place and saw Brooke inside it, drinking a mug of coffee by herself, apparently staring at the wall. Innocently he entered and sat down next to her.

"Hey," he greeted, with apparent surprise.

"Hey," she said, staring at the steam coming up from the mug.

"Look, I'm sorry about all that. She's afraid of being lonely," he explained.

"Not what I heard," she mumbled.

"What did you hear?" he asked. He was surprised when she pointed her face back up and looked directly at him.

"That you cheated on her," she said distinctly.

"I…" he began.

"Whatever. It doesn't bother me, I wouldn't care if she got run over by a truck," said Brooke coolly. Lucas almost laughed-for the first time in his life, he'd noticed the similarities between the two sisters.

XXXXXXXX

After she was certain that Lucas had left the building, Haley re-entered it. Instantly she was enveloped in her crowd of friends, most of whom were rich, all of which were beautiful. She smiled to the few that she was actually close to-Jake, Peyton, amongst others.

Haley's eagle eyes set to work when she saw Nathan Lee, that no-name friend of her no-name sister, run out of the gym in basketball clothes, head into the shower room and reappear, five minutes later and disappear into the tutoring center. The whole thing was wrong on so many levels. Nathan wasn't on the team, and what kind of low life actually tutored? Besides, he didn't look like a tutor. Haley wasn't exactly sure what a tutor looked like, or what Nathan looked like in her own eyes, but she was fairly sure the two did not match up. As she put the pieces of his puzzle together, a plan formulated in her head. A plan devious and underhand, even for her.

"_A plan," _thought Haley, "_that would put Brooke right back in her place."_


	4. Delaying the Inevitable

Chapter Four: Delaying the Inevitable

Nathan Lee unlocked the door of his house, stepped inside and called into what seemed like empty vastness:

"Mom? Teeny?" he yelled.

"In here," called a voice. Nathan frowned. His mother and sister sounded so alike that it was on occasion impossible for even him to distinguish them.

He walked through a hallway to enter the large sunny kitchen at the back of the house. Leaning against the counter was Justine Catherine Lee, thumbing a magazine and picking occasionally from a bowl of grapes beside her.

"Oh, it's you. Hey Teeny," he said.

"Try to sound more excited. And I hate it when you call me that, _Natie,_" she said, her voice sharp. Nathan grinned. It was a vicious circle. He could never win.

"What'd you do today?" he asked, noticing with annoyance her outfit, which looked for all the world like something that James girl would wear.

"Not much. Haley taught us a new cheer. A girl in my math class has a new nose. Same old, same old," she said, looking up and smiling as she tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder.

"I can't believe you guys are friends," he said.

"We're not. I mean we are, but we have to be. She's the cheerleading captain," said Justine. This was true. Justine Lee could be shallow, moody and even underhand, but growing up with Brooke Davis her entire life had made her understand the true cruelties of Haley Elise James.

"Poor you," he said, pulling a box of crackers out of the cupboard.

"Speaking of which, I saw your girlfriend today. Damn, is she ever growing up well," said Justine, whistling.

"Shut up," he said, reddening. She laughed a moment later, showing to both of them that although she had not meant it, he most certainly had.

"Why haven't you two hooked up yet, anyway?" she persisted.

Nathan sighed in annoyance. "For the same reason we haven't hooked up."

"Eww! You're my brother!" she squealed in disgust.

"My point exactly," he said, preparing to leave the room.

He halted when his mother entered through the arching doorway of the kitchen, spotted the both of them and beamed. Life for Deb Lee was hard, harder now than it had been when she was married to Dan, but she lived through it for her children.

"Nate, Jussy, how are you?" she asked, dropping her briefcase on the ground.

"Good, Mom," he said, attempting a smile, while Justine nodded in agreement.

"And Brooke?" asked Deb. Nathan realized again that his little sister and his mother were alike in more than just their looks.

"Brooke's fine, Mom," he said.

"I'm glad. That girl's like a daughter to me," said Deb, the hint in her voice. Nathan kissed his mother's forehead.

"And like a sister to me. I have homework!" he said, as he left the room.

* * *

Haley was absorbed in making out with Lucas, but her ears perked up and she leapt off the couch when she heard a key turn in the lock.

"Haley?" came a low, melodic voice. Haley's eyes widened in surprise: the James' were back home.

The two of them rearranged their clothes while they ran to the front hall to greet Haley's rarely present parental units.

"Haley, you look wonderful," cooed her mother, coming in to embrace her daughter. Haley sneezed at a whiff of her mother's over applied designer perfume.

"Princess," said her father, simply and affectionately. For the first time in her life, she actually felt guilty in his embrace.

"_I deserve this. And it's not my fault, his decision_," she muttered.

"What was that, dear?" asked her mother. Haley shook her head.

"You guys remember Luke?" she asked, motioning.

"Of course. Lovely to see you again," said Lydia James.

"How's the team, son?" asked Robert James, shaking Lucas' hands.

"Perfect season," he said proudly.

"Did you guys have a good time on your cruise?" asked Haley.

"It was great. We're going to New York for business next week, but we're here until then," he said. Haley smiled, barely registering his words.

"The house next door is for sale, what happened to the McGregor's?" asked Lydia curiously. Haley shrugged.

"Mr. McGregor transferred. But the house already got sold, to that woman who's so involved in the PTA-Deb Lee," said Haley conversationally.

"How nice. I hope they have kids your age," said Lydia, reaching over for the large stack of mail on the hall table.

"Oh, the daughter's on my squad. Justine," said Haley.

"Justine's on your squad? I remember when she was born. My, how time flies," said Robert, venturing further into the house. Lucas stared down at Haley, wondering how she could have possibly not figured out what was so obviously in front of her.

"So true," he echoed, staring.

* * *

The James' politely requested a 'family' dinner, so Lucas left early that evening. Pulling out of the driveway in his dark blue mustang, he wondered how to spend his evening.

Bored out of his mind and craving caffeine, he decided to stop at one of his mother's many diners. Hesitantly he pushed open the door and walked in, wary of the fact that everyone but him seemed to know each other.

He held back a groan when he saw Brooke Davis sitting at the counter. If he kept this up, she'd think he was stalking her.

Luke made to leave, but the bell on the door rang as he did so, and Brooke looked up and noticed him. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"God, what are you, her minion?" she demanded angrily.

"What did I ever do to you?" he asked in bemusement.

"You're dating the devil's spawn, it's enough," she retorted.

"You guys don't understand each other. Hey, I read that last year," he said, indicating the book in her arms, _Great Expectations._ Brooke blushed when she realized he'd notice she was reading for pleasure and not school.

"It's okay," she said.

"Sit down, I'll buy you a cup of coffee and we'll talk about it," he suggested. She hesitated for a moment, but her eyes were twinkling. Both of them knew where they were headed, but it was already too late to stop it.


	5. Lack of Respect

Chapter Five: Lack of Respect

"That's enough for today, guys," said Haley. The nine girls surrounding her relaxed and turned to each other to talk, while Haley collected their equipment and began to put it away.

"Justine, can you help me?" asked Haley, turning to one of the youngest in the squad, a pretty ninth grader with long blonde hair.

"Sure, Haley," she said, looking distracted and slightly pained.

"So, I hear you're moving in next to me," said Haley eventually.

"Yeah. In a few weeks. They're putting a factory down the road from us and Mom doesn't want to be anywhere near it," explained the younger girl.

"Okay. Looking forward to the Classic?" asked Haley, referring to the annual cheer competition.

"Yeah. It's my first one, but I've heard lots about it," said Justine.

"It's pretty fun. It's an important competition, but it's also a pretty good time to party," confided Haley. Justine giggled in spite of her lack of respect.

The two of them came out of the supply closet as the basketball practice ended and the basketball players turned to the cheerleaders before going to shower.

"Hey you," said Lucas, coming up to Haley. Snaking her arms around his neck, she kissed him with the whole gym watching.

"I can't wait for this weekend, when we're finally away from parental supervision," she whispered.

"If I didn't have to practice all the time, and if you didn't have to wear your squad to the ground, it'd be perfect," he said.

"I don't! Well, not that much. Go shower. I'll meet you out front," she suggested.

"I might be a while," he warned.

"Don't worry. I have stuff to do," she assured him, running off.

Haley took a deep breath before entering the tutoring centre, aware of the evilness of her plan. This wouldn't not only destroy Brooke, it would destroy Lucas. She and Lucas had only been officially together for a year, but they'd been practically a couple their entire lives.

She entered and saw a room she'd never seen before-a wall lined with windows, a bookshelf covering most of one wall, a floor dotted with many round tables.

Haley tugged her shirt down slightly before walking up to the boy that was standing over one of them.

"Hey, I was assigned to you," she said, handing him a slip of paper. He nodded distractedly and took the paper before registering her voice, looking up, and seeing who she really was.

"What? You don't need a tutor," he said in slight disgust.

"What?" she asked, her eyes wide, innocent and appealing.

"You're a cheerleading bookworm. You're famous for it. You're a straight A student," he retorted.

"My math grades are slipping, and my parents say my grades have to be perfect if I want to be the captain," she said. Haley's grades were near perfect, her math grades were slipping slightly, but her parents had never so much as noticed.

"So that's why I should help you? So you can prance around the gym every week in front of some sweaty basketball players in a skintight uniform?" he asked.

"No, you should help me because you're paid to. And what the hell do you have against me, anyway?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"You've been nothing but a bitch to my best friend for as long as I've known her," stated Nathan.

"It's not my fault that my dad chose my mom and not hers," shot back Haley.

"I didn't say your dad was a bitch to her, I said you were," he said. He didn't know Haley well but if he did, he would know never to get her angry. Haley's temper was testy and unfathomable.

"Yeah, because she and you have always gone out of your ways to be friendly to me," spat Haley.

"Who is it that's friendly to you? The whole school is terrified of you!" he said angrily.

This was enough for Haley. She proceeded to call him every bad word she knew, which were surprisingly many. He listened calmly, looking entirely affected. Eventually, feeling as if she'd somehow lost, she fled from the room and went to find Lucas.

She was still fuming when Lucas drove her home, and avoided all his attempts of conversation.

"So, looking forward to your parents leaving?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said.

"And this weekend?" he asked.

"Yep," she said.

"You okay Hales?" he asked. For a moment, she almost considered telling him the honest answer. Then:

"Yes."

2


	6. How Far You'll Go

Chapter Six: How Far You'll Go

Lucas was miserable, but Haley was happy.

Karen Scott, completely unexpectedly and inexplicably, had decided to accompany the cheerleaders, the basketball players and the assorted fans along to the hotel in Charlotte, where they would stay for a weekend to cheer and watch the Raven's play. An outing considered one of the highlights of the year, where you could party all night, do whatever you wanted with a significant other away from the watchful eyes of your parents.

Unless, of course, your girlfriend happened to cleverly manipulate them into coming along.

"_It wasn't even difficult,"_ reflected Haley, as she climbed onto the bright yellow school bus._ "All it took was a couple of stories from last year, of sneaking out and getting drunk, and how one girl got pregnant, and suddenly Karen couldn't wait to come along."_

Haley knew that such a traitorous act, making his mother follow him to Charlotte, should have made her feel guilty. She also knew that she should have relished the idea of some good, old fashioned alone time with her boyfriend. But try as she might to deny it, try as she might to bring back the old flame, Lucas' betrayal of her the previous year made it impossible for Haley to truly love him as she once had.

Nathan and Brooke were sitting on the same seat near the front of the bus. The sight of them made Haley grin. Their coming along fit in perfectly with her plan, yet had happened completely by chance.

_"Kind people are so easy to manipulate," _thought Haley. "_All I had to do was to mention something about alone time with Luke and Karen couldn't wait to come along."_

_"_Bevin! Here, come sit with me," she said desperately, as Bevin and Lucas came onto the bus together, talking. Lucas looked surprised but easygoing Bevin joined Haley and began to talk eagerly about the routine they'd created.

Haley rolled her eyes and leaned forward to whisper to Peyton Sawyer in the seat ahead of hers while Whitey began to recite the rules of the weekend in his southern drawl. She'd heard them before. She'd never bothered to abide by them. Haley James was above rules. She knew it, everyone around her knew it. Even Whitey knew it.

After two hours of the humid, un air conditioned bus, everyone was glad to come off of it, claim their luggage (and their pompoms) and take the elevators up to the floor they'd been assigned to.

Haley and Lucas sneaked off as Whitey began to drone on about curfews and regulations. They met up in a supply closet. He reached for her.

As Lucas placed his loving kiss on her lips, Haley couldn't help but think of his other woman. He'd sworn there'd only been one and since his confession he'd never so much as mentioned her name, yet she continued to haunt her. To haunt them. To always stand between them.

For a moment she thought of his face, of his heart, if her plan with Nathan would succeed. If she got all she'd hoped for with Nathan. Lucas would be destroyed. On some level, Haley knew that he did truly love her. It was almost enough to back out on her plan, to let Brooke and Nathan live happily, always in the corner of her eyes.

But it wasn't quite enough.

They arrived back in time for room assignments. As Whitey reached the J's he tosses Haley a key on a large key chain, inscribed with the number 438. She shrugged, and smiled when she noticed that Jake and Nathan had been assigned the same room as hers: right across the hall. Obviously it had never occurred to Whitey that this would pose a problem-Lucas was all the way down the hall.

"Jussy, you got 438?" she called down the hall, guessing that their last names would land them in the same room.

"Nope, I'm 437. Right here," she said, entering the room down one door to the right. Haley frowned as she saw Bevin (Gilmore) enter a room with another cheerleaders, and wondered who she'd end up with.

Haley gasped as she entered the room and saw, sitting on the bed closest to the window, a familiar figure, calmly arranging her things.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me…" she gasped, slumping down against the wall.

2


	7. Inside Out

Chapter Seven: Inside Out

_Author's note: Thanks to Davis and to Ange for their help with this chapter. And go review for Davis (brookenlucas12) in hopes that we'll finally get an update from it!_

* * *

Brooke Davis looked up at her half sister, already a welcoming smile on her face before she realized who had entered the room. The smile dropped.

"No way," she whispered.

"Why are you even here?" asked Haley. Brooke scowled.

"I'm a reporter for the school newspaper," she explained, looking annoyed.

"What's the point when nobody reads it?" asked Haley, dropping her suitcase on the bed and opening it.

"Some people enjoy devoting their time to things more worthwhile than jumping around the gym to entice sweaty guys," she shot back, her feelings hurt.

"Hundreds of people make their schedules around these games. I don't know anyone who bothers to read whatever it is that you write," snapped Haley.

"Your crowd isn't exactly who we cater to," said Brooke, before going into the bathroom and slamming the door.

Haley let out a noise of frustration before going back to her suitcase.

She looked up when Lucas entered, and forced a smile.

"Hey you," she said, gilding over to him.

"Hey you," he replied, once again taking her in his arms. Haley forced herself to relax, to let herself enjoy it. They fell backwards on the bed as Lucas' hands moved to undo the buttons on her shirt.

"Wow, doesn't this look like it's going to be a fun weekend?" said Brooke as she came out.

"Oh, hey Brooke," said Lucas. Haley gaped. Brooke and Lucas had grown closer, but Haley had been in the dark.

"What do you want?" she asked. Lucas' brow furrowed for a moment, but then he realized: Brooke had taken a fall for him. She had prevented a fight against the girl she hated more than any other.

"Hales, I have to go, Whitey called a meeting. See you tonight," said Lucas, exiting quickly.

"He sure knows how to make a quick exit," said Brooke, rolling her eyes. A laugh escaped Haley's throat, but she quickly covered it up as a cough.

"Luke'll do anything to avoid an awkward moment," said Haley. She blushed when she realized that she wasn't talking to a friend, or even an acquaintence: she was talking to her sis… she was talking to her nemesis.

Brooke disappeared into the shower. As Haley's eyes fell from the door, to the floor and finally to the stack of extra towels in the closet, an idea bloomed in her mind.

Nathan banged open the door of his hotel room and quickly scanned the area for Jake Jagielski. He realized he was in the shower as he heard the water streaming in the other room. Nathan had knocked on Brooke's door, but neither girl had answered. Not Brooke, or that Haley. _Why couldn't he get her out of his mind?_ She was trashy, manipulative… _and she looked damn good in her camisole._

Sighing, he settled down on the perfectly made hotel bed to watch the television. With an often practiced motion he flicked to the sports channel and settled down to watch the highlights of the previous' night's basketball game.

His eyes were glued to the TV as the bathroom door opened.

"Jake, come here, you've got to see this," he called out. Footsteps approached him, muffled by the carpet.

"Sure there isn't anything else you want to see?" came a sultry female voice. One that instantly brought his mind off basketball.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice an accusation. Swiftly he noticed how wet and soft her skin looked, how erotic her hair, streaming down her back and flipping messily over her shoulders.

"Brooke was in our shower," she explained. He noticed the small white towel wrapped around her, her breasts threatening to spill out of it.

"And I guess you just couldn't wait?" he asked sarcastically.

"I didn't think you'd mind so much," she said, her voice low and provocative.

"All you cared about is that you knew Brooke would mind," he said. Haley flipped her wet hair over her shoulder.

"What, you need her to protect you?"

"Speaking of which, does Scott know where you are?" accused Nathan.

"Nathan should have thought of that before he slept with some blond cheerleader with freakishly long legs," said Haley. Nathan couldn't help glancing at her own legs, long and slim and yet not starved looking. Just right.

"So it's shot for shot?" quizzed Nathan.

"That's right, big guy. It's shot for shot," she said. Slowly, almost accidentally, she let her breast slip out of her white towel, before quickly covering it up again.

_"Good move, James," _she said to herself. "_The guy needs to see what he's going for before he'll fully go for it."_

Haley's plan had gone of perfectly, but for her racing heart and flushed cheeks, two things she could neither predict nor explain.

* * *

"Haley?" called Lucas into the seemingly empty hotel room.

"She's not here," said Brooke, coming out clad in a pair of jeans and a tank top. Lucas' eyes skimmed this, trying to remember ever seeing her dressed so casually and revealingly. It was an outfit that seemed perfectly normal for Haley, yet incredibly new for Brooke.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"I don't know," said Brooke. _"Or care,"_ she almost said. But she didn't. Somehow her inner self wouldn't let her be that cruel. Or at least… not in front of _him…_

Lucas wandered to the window and looked out onto the busy city block.

"This view is insane. I guess I'm a small town guy at heart," he said. She slowly moved over to join him.

"Me too. Look, there's a limo," said Brooke, pointing it out to him.

"Everyone's talking on cellphones and drinking coffee," he agreed.

"I'm surprised they're not carrying around dogs in handbags," joked Brooke. She caught his gaze as he smiled down at her. Both blushed and looked away.

"Were you born there?" asked Lucas.

"Yes. I don't know why, you'd think it would have been easier on her to go somewhere else," said Brooke.

"Anywhere to be away from him," agreed Lucas.

"Or her," said Brooke inexplicably. Haley, Lucas wondered? Or Lydia, the woman that Brooke's mother had been betrayed with?

"I know it's lame, but I envy anyone who didn't grow up there," said Lucas, almost sounding nostalgic.

"You'll be spending your whole life there?" she asked. He shrugged. "I mean, isn't it what Haley would want?"

Lucas was surprised by the bitterness in her voice, until finally he understood.

Brooke could feel Lucas' gaze on her as she stared down into the city, but she refused to acknowledge it. Gently he tilted her face to his and kissed her, at first only a gentle touch. It deepened as her heart soared and she opened her lips, letting his tongue roam inside her mouth.

He knew it was wrong, inalterable and infinitely cruel, but he couldn't help himself. He couldn't resist her.

His arms wound around her and pulled her in close, tasting her strawberry flavored lip gloss and lavender scented perfume. So different from the Haley's watermelon lip-gloss, her vanilla scent. So much safer, so much more right.

So perfect.

They broke away, mutually and reluctantly.

"That didn't happen," she said quickly.

"Could you honestly forget?" he asked, sounding almost breathless.

"We have to. I don't like her, I don't even respect her, but she's your girlfriend, for God's sake! She already doesn't trust you, this would destroy her!" said Brooke passionately.

"She knows it's over as well as I do," he said.

"Then end it. And get back to me after it's done, not before," said Brooke. Nevertheless, she didn't protest as he again pulled her into him, set his lips on hers and let them sink back into bliss.

_

* * *

Author's note: Sorry for how closely this mirrors When One Door Closes. Total coincidence._


	8. As You Were

Chapter Eight: As You Were

Haley surprised even herself by her good mood as she bounced back into her own hotel room, but she of all people didn't let herself question it.

"Guys, everyone's down in the lobby, want to go to?" she asked to her assembled squad. She stopped when she saw them circled surreptitiously around Brooke's bed. She raised an eyebrow and they instantly parted.

Theresa was sitting on the bed, red spots beginning to cover her face. Haley zoomed over to her and examined them.

"Oh my God, what are those?" she asked, nervously poking them.

"Chicken pox," she responded.

"Do they itch a lot?" asked Haley sympathetically.

There were titters from the crowd. Haley didn't register what they meant.

"Yeah. Um, Mrs. Scott called my parents. I have to go," said Theresa.

"Yeah, of course," said Haley. Theresa stood and left, half the squad leaving with her. It was only then that Haley realized: they were down to nine.

Haley didn't let herself freak out until Theresa was safely out of the building and heading back to Tree Hill with her mother.

"We can't do this. Tree Hill has a three year streak of winning the Classic, we can't let them down," she ranted.

"It wouldn't be letting them down, you've already led us to victory before," consoled Bevin.

"That only makes it worse! If some other team had won for the past four years it wouldn't matter so much! Now there's all this pressure and I'm short one girl!" moaned Haley.

"It's okay, we'll find a replacement," soothed the other girl.

"It's too late. Even if there was someone who could do it…" began Haley. She cut herself off as Brooke came into the room.

"Who're you?" asked Bevin, silently assessing Brooke.

"Brooke Davis," she said in surprise.

"Perfect. She'll do," said Bevin, matter-of-factly before running from the room to declare the new addition to the entire squad.

Brooke and Haley stared at each other for a moment. Eventually, Haley couldn't help herself: she let loose a peal of laughter.

"She is the biggest idiot I have ever come across. Can you do the splits?" asked Haley, grabbing Brooke's elbow as she excitedly ran from the room.

Haley expected the night to be a blur. A series of long, unending, torturous blurs. But it wasn't. Brooke was a stand in cheerleader (sort of) but that didn't matter: she was good.

She was better than Bevin. She was better than Peyton. She was almost better than Haley. It was unheard of.

"_Is this the one gene that Dad passed on to both of us?_" silently wondered Haley.

"Guys, stop. This is perfect," admitted Haley with satisfaction, several hours later.

"Not quite. You're hair's a mess," said Brooke. Haley took a deep breath, and surprised herself by being able to laugh.

"Come on, your shoes went out three years ago," shot back Haley.

Lucas and the basketball team (plus Nathan) stopped when they heard familiar voices. Two pairs of eyes immediately went to Haley: Nathan's eyes. And Lucas'. It was a reaction that neither of them expected.

Lucas walked out before he could be seen, but Nathan stayed and bravely approached.

"Hey guys, hey Teeny," said Nathan, approaching. Haley glanced over at Justine Lee as she greeted Nathan.

"You know him?" asked Haley in surprise.

"He's my brother," explained Justine. Haley nodded distractedly.

"Brooke, what are you doing here?" asked Nathan, noticing her.

"They were short one. Lucky me, hey?" said Brooke, laughing.

"Lucky you. I'm going to bed," he announced.

The entire squad watched him go. For a moment it flickered through Haley's mind that in addition to being a tutor and the perfect revenge, he didn't look like a tutor-he looked like a basketball player. Or an underwear model. She shook these thoughts out of her head.

"Everyone's going to bed. We need our rest. Meet at my room at six o'clock sharp for primping," dictated Haley.

"Our room," said Brooke stubbornly, coming up behind Haley. Haley paused.

"Our room," she finally concluded.

Brooke went off to Nathan's room as Haley slipped into theirs, ready to drop into bed.

Lucas turned away from the same window, half expecting Brooke. He was surprised by his tenderness at seeing Haley.

"Hey," he said softly, seeing her not as the beautiful flaunting teenager she'd become but as the unconfident adolescent that had attracted him in the first. As the girl, beginning to grow into herself, who'd lost her virginity to him.

Haley stayed at the door and he slowly approached her. She expected his hands to slide down her hips, to caress the curves of her body, but he took both her hands in his.

"I missed you today," he said. She looked up at him, her eyes shining brightly.

"I missed you too. Luke, I…" she began. Haley was slightly shameless, but she did have a conscious.

"I know. I love you, Haley," he said. She brightened. Maybe she could forgive him. Lucas wasn't perfect, but he was so safe, so familiar. She nestled into him.

"I love you too," she said, suddenly quite sure of it.

XxxxxxX

"So, looks like you didn't kill each other," said Nathan, as Brooke wandered into his room.

"Nope. Amazingly. It was almost…"

"Brooke Penelope Davis, are you about to say what I think you're going to say?" teased Nathan.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Did you and Haley actually have a good time?" he asked.

"Almost. Hey, I don't think I've ever heard you refer to her by her name before," said Brooke, albeit casually.

"I guess," he said awkwardly. Brooke dropped onto his bed and stretched so that several inches of her stomach came into view.

"Nathan," she asked. He glanced carelessly toward her. "Do you want me?"

Nathan considered this. There had been a time that he had. But recently, the image of her in his mind had been replaced by a shorter girl with longer, lighter hair and the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen.

"Brooke, you know you're the most beautiful girl I know. But," he said, kissing her forehead gently. "I'm not in love with you."

Brooke went back out into the hallway, but didn't dare to go back to the room. She was in terror of walking in on Haley and Lucas.


	9. Twist of Fate

Chapter Nine:

Brooke exited Nathan's room and entered her own. She was horrified with herself-Nathan had been her friend for as long as she'd been alive.

The sight that greeted her horrified her equally. Lucas and Haley. Not making out, not having sex. Sitting on the be, talking in low tones, Haley in his lap. Laughing amicably. Looking completely comfortable with each other.

"Oh, hey Brooke, Luke was just leaving," said Haley, stepping off of his lap. Brooke smiled falsely.

"You can stay if you want, but I'm going to bed," she said mechanically.

"No, Mom's going to check the room any minute. I'll go," said Lucas. He kissed Haley's forehead before departing.

After Brooke dropped onto her bed and began to pretend to be asleep, Haley sprung up and swung her feet over to the side of the bed. She couldn't go to sleep. She was still too alive.

Moments later, Haley slipped out of the room, clad only in a terry cloth robe and her furry slippers. Creeping past the many closed doors on the hall, she hoped desperately that Whitey wasn't a light sleeper-that he wouldn't burst out of his room, clad in his own robe and demand to know what she was doing out by herself in the middle of the night. But part of her hoped that he would. She didn't know what she was doing, or why she was doing it, only that some mysterious force was pulling her to do it.

Haley breathed a sigh of relief as she made it to the elevator. She rode down to the main floor and ran through the lobby, afraid of seeing Karen having a late night cup of coffee.

Her eyes darted around the pool deck as she arrived there. There was a green lawn stretching out beside it, and a perfectly manicured garden stretching along the length of it. She shivered as she slipped the robe off her back, and the cold night air hit her skin as it slithered to the floor.

For a moment she considered dipping her toe in the water to check if it was warm, but decided she'd come too far to be a chicken. Haley dove gracefully into the long, deep blue pool and swam underwater until the way halfway through the pool. Coming up for air, she let her body float up so she was on her back. She closed her eyes for a moment, missing the familiar stars of Tree Hill, that which she couldn't see in the city.

Haley's entire body tensed as she felt someone's gaze on her. Slowly she opened her eyes and positioned herself so she could see the long figure on the pool deck.

Nathan Scott had come down only for a quick swim, but he couldn't help but stare when he came across Haley James, floating in a pool, completely naked. He'd seen girls naked before, but he'd never had quite the same reaction. He was reduced to a pair of gawking eyes, his jaw dropped.

"Hey," she said softly. For once, she wasn't scheming to make someone elses life worse.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"What you're doing. Only without clothes. Uh, shut your eyes," she commanded. But she didn't really mean it. Under the cover of the night, everything was possible. Even genuine feelings for some noname tutor.

He stared as she swam underwater to the steps, her hair flowing after her, caressing her bare shoulders. Once again he was amazed by her perfect figure, even more desirable dripping with water.

Silently he handed her her robe. She stared into his eyes as she covered up her body with it. For the first time, she noticed his blue jeans and how nicely muscled his stomach was underneath his wife beater.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your room," he said, his voice surprisingly husky. Magically, he reached for her hand and she allowed him to take it. Somehow the movement was completely natural.

Dodging supervising parents and Whitey didn't even occur to Haley as the two strode across the lobby, up the elevator and into the hallway of their rooms.

"Thanks," she said softly, as she moved to open her own door. With a sickening feeling in her gut, she realized she'd left her room key inside. And that it was two o'clock in the morning.

"Trouble?" he asked.

"My key…" she said weakly.

"Come in," he suggested. Not bothering to wait for an answer, he entered his own room with Haley at his heels.

Jake Jagielski was nowhere to be seen.

"He's always with his girlfriend," explained Nathan. "So you can take his bed."

Nathan disappeared into the washroom. Haley blushingly slipped off her robe and climbed into the bed closest to the window, that which was her own in Brooke and her room across the hall. Letting her wet hair fall all over the pillow, she prepared to sink into slumber.

Nathan halted when he saw her form under the covers in his own bed. Part of him knew he should take Jake's bed instead, but he couldn't make himself do it. Instead he went to his own bed and turned his back to her, not even letting himself look.

XxxxxxxxxX

Haley was surprised and disoriented the next morning when she woke up. Her entire body was pressed up one behind her, cupping her own form. She was resting on a strong male arm. When she slept with Lucas, they stuck to their own sides. Something was distinctly wrong.

"Nathan?" she said in surprise. Dimly she registered that she hadn't yet said his name.

"Haley," he said.

"Did we…?"

"No. God no," he explained quickly. Haley contemplated getting out of his bed, but the same force wouldn't let her.

"Uh, okay. I have to go, I promised the squad I'd meet them," she explained. He said the only word on his mind:

"Now?"

Haley looked over her shoulder and considered him for a moment. His dark hair was ruffled. He looked confused.

"No. Later," she promised, settling back into his arms.


	10. Fall Into You

Chapter Ten: Fall Into You

"So I know Brooke came along because of her paper thing, but why are you here?" asked Haley. She was sitting up in his bed, wrapped in the hotel comforter.

"You sure you're ready for this?" teased Nathan.

"I'm ready for anything," she said, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

"You know all that hype Scott has for his basketball?" began Nathan.

"Lucas is great," said Haley.

"I could kick his ass in one on one," said Nathan. Haley raised an eyebrow again, feeling a completely different emotion. Doubt.

"Really."

"Really really. His fade away isn't for crap and he can't dunk for his life," he said.

"Lucas is the best player since his father!" said Haley defensively, unable to accept the suggestion that someone was better at anything than Lucas.

"And the biggest player since his father," joked Nathan.

"Hey," laughed Haley. While he laughed, she eyed his hard stomach muscles. She wondered how many sit-ups it took to make them look so hard and defined. "So you're what, on the team now?"

"No, Whitey just wanted me to learn some stuff," he said.

"Oh. We could work on your stamina," suggested Haley.

"For someone I met on a supposedly chance encounter…" said Nathan. As Haley scowled at him his mind flashed to the image of her soft skin, her legs, her entire naked body.

"I was happy. I didn't want to go to sleep," she said.

"Why?" asked Nathan, looking honestly interested.

Haley paled for a moment. She'd spent hours with Nathan and not thought of Lucas once, but she thought of him then. She thought of the happy 'reunion' they'd had, the resolve to try harder. The confession of love on both sides.

"Hales?" asked Nathan. Haley stared at him. The use of such a familiar, endearing term was somehow terrifying. Terrifying in that she was feeling for Nathan. The guy she'd chosen for bait to wage war against her half sister.

"I can't. I'm sorry, I really can't. I have to go," she said. Nathan's eyes widened in surprise.

Haley let the comforter fall and ran across the room, her skin fully exposed until she wrapped her robe around herself.

"Haley?" he asked. He rose and walked over to her.

"No. No, it's wrong. Lucas did this to me and it almost killed me. Nathan, no!" she almost screamed, as he put his hand on her back, and the felt the electricity of his gentle touch. His hand flew backward in surprise as she raced barefoot across the room.

Bevin Gilmore's eyes were wide and reproachful as she opened the door to Haley. Bevin was wearing her uniform, her hair was done, she had a raven's tattoo on her cheek. They all did. Even Brooke. Haley marveled at how right it looked on her as the other girls went to work on her hair.

The ten of them sat in previously planned formation on the gym floor. Haley stared straight ahead as the first squad performed, fully aware of Nathan Lee's blue eyes on her. As the second squad went on, she was aware of how nervous her own squad was, but she couldn't think of anything to comfort them when she was too busy comforting herself.

Haley and the other girls stood up.

"Any words of wisdom?" asked Peyton Sawyer.

"Um. You guys are great. I've seen you be better than all of these guys," said Haley. Eight of them ran onto the stage as Haley slowly followed them.

She stopped as Brooke gently laid an arm on her forearm and sent her a concerned, questioning look. Haley gave her a half smile and shook her head slightly as the sisters ran to join the rest of them.

Haley pasted on her cheerleader smile as the music started. She went through her own movements perfectly and emotionlessly, but she couldn't help but take pride in the rest of them. The confidence that shone from the girls was astonishing.

The gym cheered as the gym awarded second prize to the Charlotte High Jaguars, second to the Bear Creek Warriors.

"And first place, to our fifth time champions, the Tree Hill Ravens!" said the announcer. The ten of them bounced up to the podium. Haley remembered the previous year, how eager, anxious and proud she'd been.

As Haley's hands went around the shiny golden columns of the trophy, she raised her eyebrows at her elder sister. Slowly, hesitantly, Brooke's hand joined Haley's on the trophy. Together they held it in the air to the resonating cheers of the crowd.

The crowd cheered again, much later, as Lucas' three pointed swung into the net and the buzzer rung for half time.

Haley sneaked into the locker room as Lucas and the team went in. She ignored whistles as she navigated into the section where her boyfriend was sitting on a bench, a towel about his neck.

"Hey," she said, going to sit beside him.

"Hey," he replied weakly.

"What's up with him?" asked Haley, looking in concern. Tim Smith, one of the Raven's, was sitting in the corner, having his ankle examined by a medic.

"Sprained it jumping of a bench. Haley…" Lucas began. Haley pressed a finger to his lips, bracing herself for the inevitable.

"No. I have a speech. Lucas Scott. My speech is stupid. I'm not in love with you anymore, and I don't think you've been in love with me since seventh grade," said Haley simply.

"That's not true," he protested, smiling at her audacity even in the end.

"Whatever. I saw you. You were eyeing… You know what I mean. It's okay, we're over. We've been over for a while," said Haley.

"Do I get a chance to talk?" he asked. Haley thought about that for a second.

"No. Not a chance in hell. It would make me cry."

Haley ran out of the room, and out into the cold gray day. She sat on a bench, brought up her legs and buried her head in her knees. There, in the silence, she did cry. Cried as she thoughts of the good times they'd had in their many, many years together. Of how simple, pathetic and emotionless their breakup had been. Haley no longer wanted Lucas, but she liked to think he'd at least put up a fight for her.

Lucas heart was full of Haley and not Brooke when he ran onto the court with the rest of the team. He cast a glance at Whitey, who looked grim. Of course he was grim. Tim, an idiot as he might be, was the only one Lucas could trust to play to his ability. His replacement couldn't win the game. It was impossible.

As Haley cried her heart on the park bench, Brooke Davis watched as her best friend subbed in, his dark blue eyes clouded.

"Where's Haley?" mouthed Lucas, as he passed by Brooke, cheering for the Ravens.

Brooke shrugged before looking down the line at the eight other girls, and back to Lucas Scott. Her heart was heavy. The relationship between Lucas and Haley was a fairly good excuse not to go after her heart's desire. Now it looked as though she had none.

Brooke fled the gym and went outside. She spotted a small, pathetic figure in a short blue and white skirt and ran to her.

"You're stronger than this," said Brooke, staring at her sister. Haley looked up, instantly ashamed of her puffy eyes.

"I'm not," she sobbed.

"You're stronger than anyone I know. Get off your ass and come inside," said Brooke.

Nathan's eyes were on the ball as it sailed in his hands in the last five seconds of the game, but on Haley for a nanosecond as she took her place in the line and picked up the cheer. He noted her puffy eyes. He understood. As she met his own eyes, he knew she wasn't cheering for the Ravens.

She, Haley James, was cheering for him. Nathan Lee.

He released the ball from his hands and watched in satisfaction as it went neatly into the net and won the game.

The gym erupted. Lucas immediately ran off, grabbed Brooke's hand, pulled her into an alcove and kissed her. Brooke let go of her qualms and for a time, she let herself be happy. Be loved.

Lucas, involved with Brooke, didn't noticed as Haley spectacularly leapt over the bench, onto the crowded court full of sulking Warrior's and celebratory Raven's. Nathan turned to her as he finished smacking hands with Jake Jagielski, and opened his arms just in time for her to fall into them.


	11. Aftershock

Chapter Eleven: Aftershock

The Classic tournament in Charlotte was one thing, a world completely detached from the natural one, but everything was bound to change back in Tree Hill, where old rules applied. Where cheerleaders didn't date tutors, where no name reporters didn't fall in love with the best player on the basketball team.

But sometimes, even in Tree Hill these things are inevitable and cannot be stopped.

For a few hours, even those who knew the truth of Lucas and Haley's breakup could easily pretend that it never happened. They all knew that such a breakup would rock the school to its core, change everything. They weren't just being dramatic. For better or worse, this was the cold, hard truth.

Haley got a ride to school with Lucas like she'd been doing every year for as long as she could drive. Before their licenses, there had been carpooling. They'd always come together. It was a fact of life.

"I can't believe I used to think we were going to get married," said Haley, as the two walked through the halls.

"There was a time that the thought of finding another girl was terrifying, so I know what you mean," he joked.

"Yeah, finding girls is definitely your problem," teased Haley. Since they were no longer a couple, the harsher issues of their previous relationship were less hard to take.

"Hey, I have English, what about you?" he asked, distracted by the class as they approached it.

"Trig. I'll see you at lunch, okay?" asked Haley. Lucas nodded. For the briefest instant he moved toward her, as if to kiss her in the infinitely practiced motion, but he held himself back just in time.

Haley shrieked as a hand came out of a classroom door on her way to trig and pulled her into an abandoned classroom.

She smiled as Nathan's hand slipped around her waist and he pulled her into him. Haley pressed up against him, closing the short distance between them as she threw her head back and Nathan leaned down to place an electric kiss on her lips.

All thoughts of Lucas, or of the Classic tournament or of anything that had ever hurt her in her entire life slid out of her head as Nathan Lee kissed her like it was the only thing in the world that mattered to him. All thoughts that she was his best friend's hated sister, that she was completely wrong for him were denied as Nathan felt the beautiful girl he'd lusted after began to really fall for him.

"I have to go," moaned Haley eventually, as Nathan's kisses began to slide down her neck.

"No, you don't," he said.

"Okay, I don't," she agreed, squeezing her eyes shut. "But I do."

"Fine. We'll do this later," he said.

"I look forward to it," she said coyly. She sauntered out of the room. Secretly, she was terrified. Haley stopped outside the classroom as the bell rang and leaned against the wall. She knew what was coming. She wasn't an idiot. And it was nothing she'd never done before, but the thought of doing it with someone other than Lucas was decidedly odd.

XxxxxxX

Lucas spent his entire English class daydreaming, and was the first out of class when the ball rang.

He ran down the hall, hoping to reach Brooke's locker before the halls completely filled with the other students.

"Hey," she said, seeing him arrive at a run out of the corner of her eye.

"Hey Brooke," he said. He smiled.

"What's up?" she asked, her manner suddenly cold.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come to my house after school?" he suggested. Brooke calmly placed her history textbook on the shelf in her locker.

"I'm not that kind of girl, Lucas," she said stiffly.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean I'm not going to start off a relationship like that, going to your house for booty calls. In fact, my relationships are never going to consist of that. So why not quit while we're ahead?" she asked. Secretly, as much as Brooke's feelings were growing for Lucas, she knew she couldn't truly commit to a guy who kissed her an hour after he broke up with his girlfriend of so many years.

"Brooke…" said Lucas in amazement. Brooke began to flounce off, but gasped when his hand shot and firmly caught her forearm. She melted under his kiss as his lips sought hers.

She watched in amazement as he walked off without another word.

XxxxxxX

Haley reluctantly met her promise and had Nathan over to her house after school that day. They spent a great deal of time talking-comparing favourite bands, movies, their opinions on everything. It was a perfect first date.

Until night began to fall.

They started off innocently, kissing gently and lovingly on the sofa. Haley's heart quickened as Nathan took her hand and led her to her bed, and their kisses deepened as he climbed on top of her.

Nathan didn't sense her uneasiness as he began to unbutton her shirt with practice in his fingers. Haley began to say his name with refusal that he mistook for desire.

Haley pressed her hands against his shoulders, trying to force him off, but he was too much for her. In desperation she wrenched her mouth from his and concentrated all her force on getting him off of her.

"What?" asked Nathan, as he sat up.

"Come on! We haven't even gone on a date yet!" raged Haley.

"Sorry, I didn't know that you…"

"God, what did you think I was doing, playing hard to get?" she demanded.

"No, of course not. Haley, you're not… are you?" he asked.

"No! I've only ever been with Lucas, you tard," she said.

"Oh."

"Unlike you. I'm sure there are lots of girls who can't wait to jump some tutor that nobody knows from a hole in the ground," said Haley angrily.

"Where's this coming from?" he asked in annoyance, standing tall over her.

"From you!" she burst out. Angrily he strode to the door and let himself out as Haley fell back onto her bed and marveled at the mess she'd made out of her life.


	12. Checkmate

Chapter Twelve: Checkmate

Haley flopped back onto her bed and stared angrily at the ceiling. The day before, it had all seemed so easy, leaping into his open arms at the Classic, easily saying goodbye to Lucas. Now it all seemed so hard. So… wrong.

She rolled over to rest her head on her hands and frowned, imagining Lucas finally having the freedom to do whatever he wanted with whomever he wanted. Not that he hadn't felt like he'd always had the freedom. Lucas and her had been together since before Junior high. Had she really been ready to let him go so easily?

XxxxxxX

Lucas let out a noise of frustration as he woke up from yet another wet dream-starring not the petite light brown haired girl that had been his for so many years, but instead the taller, darker girl that had been haunting his thoughts.

He changed into jeans and a hoodie before running down the stairs to go outside.

"Luke?"

Lucas turned toward the voice that was calling to him and smiled slightly as his mother came out of the kitchen.

"Hey Mom," he said.

"You know, I was talking to Mrs. Smith…" began Karen Scott. Lucas winced. His mother, though a chaperone at the Classic, had not witnessed the biggest breakup of the year. "And she was talking about you and Haley breaking up."

Lucas winced as his mother frowned at him in what seemed like disappointment.

"Yeah," he said quietly.

"Why on Earth did you break up with her? Lydia James had practically already chosen who's going to cater your wedding!" said Karen in surprise.

"It just wasn't right anymore," said Lucas awkwardly. Karen was almost a foot shorter than her son, but she still had the power to terrify him.

"What do you mean, you guys have always been together," said Karen, refusing to accept his pathetic accuses.

"What would you do if I told you there was someone else?" asked Lucas.

"For you or her?" asked Karen. Lucas braced himself.

"Both of us?" he said quietly.

"You cheated on her?" demanded Karen. Lucas slowly shook his head and Karen sighed before gesturing that he might leave.

Lucas ran out to his car and drove quickly out of the driveway. He automatically turned it in the direction of Haley's house,

Instinct made him stop in "their coffee shop". As he saw Brooke Davis sitting at the counter, where they always sat, he wondered if she'd been expecting him.

"Brooke," he said abruptly, sliding in the seat next to her. She turned her head swiftly, her dark hair flying.

"Yes?" she said thinly.

"Why won't you talk to me?" he asked.

"We have nothing to talk about," she said.

"You know what we have to talk about."

"Luke, I can't be with someone who would cheat on his girlfriend," said Brooke. Her words were firm, her tone wavering.

"I won't!" he said.

"You're right, because I'm not going to give you the chance to," said Brooke, standing up, throwing a five dollar bill on the counter and leaving quickly.

Lucas didn't go after her. Pride prevented him. But he watched her as she ran out into the street, climbed into her Jeep and spared him one last parting glance.

XxxxxxX

Haley had been lightly sleeping, but she awoke immediately when the phone on her bedside rang.

"Nathan!" she said quietly, hopefully to herself.

"Hey, Haley?" said a voice. Haley's heart fell to the floor.

"Hey, Luke," she said.

"Is it weird if… Can I ask you something?" asked Lucas nervously. Haley almost laughed. Lucas hadn't been nervous around her since the day he'd told her he'd cheated on her.

"Yeah, sure," she said.

"How did we get together?" he asked.

"You mean sexually?" asked Haley in surprise.

"No. I mean when we were little," he said.

"Well, it was in grade six, and we were sitting on the fence, being all rebellious and you asked me to be your girlfriend. And then you kissed me, I guess," said Haley in surprise, dimly recalling the distant day, when all being a boyfriend was was talking on the phone a lot and holding hands in the hallways.

"Right. Sorry, I was just thinking about it today. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" he said.

"Of course. Do you um, need a ride?" she asked. It had been taken as a given in their relationship. Now, neither knew where the lines stood.

"No, don't worry about it," he said, as he hung up, a plan already forming in his head.

Lucas made only one stop before driving the distance to Brooke's apartment building. Feeling nervous, he rode up the elevator and knocked on the door.

"Lucas, I told you to knock it off!" said Brooke in annoyance, as she answered the door.

"I know, but just hear me out. Brooke Davis…" he began. He fumbled in his pocket and went down on one knee. She smiled in spite of herself as he took her hand in his.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" he asked.

"Hurt me and I'll kick you ass," she warned.

"Duly noted," he said. Laughing, she nodded her head. He jokingly slipped the ring he'd bought on her right hand, and stood up.

"Where'd you get this?" she asked, looking at the band of silver on her right hand.

"The jewelry store," he said casually.

"Not the dollar store? Lucas, it must have been expensive," she protested.

"You're worth it," he said. He took her face in his hands and kissed her sweetly.

"You too," she whispered.

XxxxxxX

Brooke took it off her hand, once, when he left much later and marveled it, the small token that she knew she'd keep forever. She smiled at the simple inscription: _Brooke and Lucas_. It wasn't much, but it was all she needed.


	13. A Change Of Tune

Chapter Thirteen:

_Author's note: First off: I am taking a temporary vacation, and will update again on Friday/Saturday. Second: thanks to Ange, for her um… inspiration. _

Haley took a deep breath as the last person left the tutoring centre. Last but one.

Slowly she rounded the corner. Her heart softened at the sight of Nathan, painstakingly neatening the books on the shelves and tucking in chairs around the many round tables.

"Hey," she said softly. He glanced up briefly.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"It's about what I don't want," said Haley.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Not like this. Look, I messed up. I'm sorry," said Haley empathetically.

"Look, I can understand not wanting to have sex right away but what was all that?" he asked coolly.

"It's hard for me Nathan. I've been with Lucas for so long, and you're so different…" Haley caught sight of his stiff face. "And you're so much _better_ for me, that it's hard to get used to it."

"I wasn't trying to push you," he said slowly.

"You're not," she said quickly.

"So what's really wrong?" he asked.

"It's so weird. You're so unlike any guy I've ever even hung out with, and you're my sister's best friend…"

"Stop making this about Brooke!" exclaimed Nathan heatedly. His eyes narrowed slightly, and for the first time he looked truly angry.

Neither of them would ever be able to explain what happened next. They would have suspicions but it all happened so quickly, so passionately, that they could never truly understand.

For the first time in her life, Haley allowed passion to overcome her as she dropped her books and lunged for Nathan. She gave him one startled kiss before his experience hands were on her.

Haley gasped as Nathan pushed her against the wall and kissed her again. In moments both their shirts were off and he'd undone the button of her skirt. His strength overwhelmed her as he lifted her, her back pressing into the wall until his head was at level with her breast.

She expected him to immediately thrust inside her, as Lucas had always done, but gasped with pleasure when his teeth began teasing her exposed nipple, and his kisses covered her neck and shoulders.

In a split second Haley noted the difference between the boy she'd once loved and the one that was making her feel like she'd never felt before. How Lucas' touch had been passionate but only pleasant, never doing to her what Nathan was doing to her then.

Pleasure begin to build in Haley as his finger began to touch her, feeling around, rapidly making her feel as though she was reaching her boiling point.

"Let it out…" he said urgently, as he fingered her pleasure point and she let out an amazed gasp of delight.

"Nathan…" she moaned.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Fuck me…" she begged. He licked her right nipple and quickly shed himself of his pants. She was still moaning when he thrust inside of her, roughly, deeper and deeper.

"Haley…" he said, while she continued her moans of ecstasy.

Haley dug her fingernails into Nathan's back as her body relaxed and slowly progressed back to its normal state, willing the orgasm to go on longer. When it didn't, she slowly unwrapped her legs from his waist and slid to the floor, still completely naked.

"Wow," she murmured to herself, as it all came back to her.

"Yeah," he agreed. The passion of the moment was gone, but tenderness remained. He kissed her forehead. "I'm guess you've never..?"

"No, Lucas didn't get me there," she admitted.

They stood in silence. Words corrupted what had happened, as no words could ever possibly describe the passion, the desire.

As Haley clung to her lover, she recollected what had gone on with Lucas: the awkward fumbling, the thrusting, the pain, the halfhearted want. She couldn't believe that two such completely different acts could fall under the same name.

Nathan began to reluctantly gather his clothes as Haley went over to sit on one of the tables. He couldn't help but stare as she demurely crossed her legs and leaned back, giving him a perfect view of her full breasts.

"I have to go," he said, feeling his hardness stir at the sight of her.

"You sure?" she asked. A previous Haley would have chastised herself for sounding so whorish.

"If I don't, I'm not going to be able to help myself from christening that table," he said. She smirked.

"Don't worry, baby," began Haley. Nathan looked up. "I'll be over later."


	14. Ever Coming Back For More

Chapter Fourteen: Ever Coming Back For More

Haley's binders and textbooks were spread neatly over her desk, but her mind was not on them. She was thinking of Nathan. How she had truly begun to fall for him, how he'd already made her feel things that Lucas had never made her feel.

She glanced back down at her math textbook with disinterest. The numbers blurred, the formulas she knew like the back of her hand seemed completely lost to her. Throwing down her pencil in frustration, she grabbed her car keys and ran out.

Haley noiselessly entered the house when her knock entered futilely on the door. She smiled as she looked around. On the front hall table, on the walls, pictures of Nathan, his younger sister, his mother, even his father in the earlier ones. She smiled at the image of young Nathan, holding a basketball and beaming with pride.

The wooden stairs creaked as she slowly ascended them. When she reached the upper floor hallway, she tried the first door she came to.

Blue painted walls and dark wood furniture was revealed before she saw Nathan, sleeping, half covered with his sheet, one arm slung over his pillow.

He didn't stir as she walked in, shut the door and stripped down to her underwear before slipping in beside him, staring at his innocent sleeping face, his chest rise and fall.

Hours passed and her boredom grew. As night began to fall, she slowly rose and sat astride him. He stirred, but did not awaken as her hands began to run over his muscled chest.

Deciding she needed to use a stronger tactic, she blindly reached backward and slid her hand down his boxers and began to stroke him. He woke up quickly and blinked in confusion.

"Haley?" he murmured, looking at her, almost fully naked astride him. She leaned down and nibbled on his earlobe.

"Expecting someone else?" she whispered. She giggled in excitement as he rolled over and the weight of his body was on her.

Nathan took her hands, still roaming over his chest, and held them above her head with both his hands. Her eyes slide close in expectation, but he surprised her by tenderly kissing her lips as he hadn't the time in the tutoring centre.

His lips slowly progressed down her neck, taking his time, touching her gently. She expected him to adjust his speed, to delight her with passion as he'd done before, but instead his lips again sought her mouth and he nibbled on her lower lip.

His hands still held her wrists, but as his lips moved to her exposed breast and gently began licking her nipple, he transferred them to his left hand and gently began stroking her smooth skin.

"You're beautiful…" he whispered, as her nipple hardened and he moved on to the other.

His slow, ardent, tender kisses made their way down her own flat stomach. If she could think, her thoughts would have been how different this was… how tender, how loving, how beautiful.

She gasped as he began to tease her, licking her out as he hadn't done before. As he found her, she prepared herself for an orgasm, but instead he pulled out just in time. He brought her to the brink many times before making her come again and again.

Slowly, as everything had been, he entered her. His unsheathed hardness was much more sensitive, making the act more pleasurable on both sides. Desiring more than anything to continue the beautiful act, he kept it going as long as possible.

He released her wrists as they finally finished, and took her in his arms, kissing her forehead, her neck, her lips, over and over. Somehow she was more shaken by the gentle, loving experience than by the passionate, raw desire of the day before.

His arms tightened protectively around her as he felt something like fear quiver through her. He pressed his lips to her hair and murmured her name gently.

At long last she relaxed, draped her own arm around him and fell asleep, her brown hair spread wildly around, using his chest as her pillow, listening to the beating of his heart.

XxxxxxX

Much earlier, Brooke sat on Nathan's porch steps, shakily analyzing what she'd heard. All she'd done was what she'd done for years-enter Nathan's house without knocking, run up the stairs when he'd failed to answer her call. Impulse had made her knock on the door, but she'd snatched back her hand the moment before her knuckles connected with the wood.

A sound had come from the room, one she'd remember all her life-the low, desiring moan of a woman. A moan that wasn't of lust, but of love. Of a woman that wasn't Brooke.

Brooke had never remotely contemplated the fact she was, or had ever been, in love with Nathan, but she thought about it then. As surely as she knew she wasn't in love with him, she knew that she had been once and if she'd taken a chance on him they'd be together still.

Still anxious, she climbed back into her car and sped toward her new love's house.

XxxxxxX

When Haley awoke the next morning and gently attempted to ease herself out of Nathan's embrace, but he awoke when she did so and opened his arms for her, watching her run around the room, gathering her clothes.

"Going?" he asked. She stopped and turned to face him.

"Do you want me to?" she asked.

"No. Come back to bed," he suggested.

"I can't. I'm starving," Haley whined. As she wandered close to the bed, he caught her hand and pulled her into it.

"Fine. Here," he said. Reaching over her, he plucked a package of Cracker Jacks from it and split it open. Automatically his hand reached for the gift within.

Both stared as the cheap, colourful bracelet tipped into his hand. He stared at it a moment longer.

"For you," he said, at last.

"Nathan…" she protested weakly.

"No. Don't say I never gave you anything," he said, as he slipped it onto her wrist.

She curled up next to him, her hunger forgotten as morning swiftly turned to afternoon.


	15. What Seemed So Simple Then

Chapter Fifteen: What Seemed So Simple Then

"Hey," said Brooke awkwardly. Haley flicked her hair over her shoulder and stared in surprise for a moment before smiling tentatively.

"Hey," she said.

"So… Congratulations about the Classic," said Brooke.

"That was weeks ago. And congrats to you too. Apparently we have something in common, after all," said Haley. Uncomfortably, she realized it was the first time she'd amicably recognized the other girl as her sister.

Brooke surprised herself just then, by holding back the comment that came to her-_Yeah, I think you can spread your legs much farther, though_-and being able to smile.

"Yeah, sure," laughed Brooke. Haley began to walk and Brooke followed after a moment's hesitation.

"So, I'm short one tonight. You interested?" asked Haley. Brooke raised an eyebrow, picturing herself in the short blue and white uniform, cheering alongside her sister in the gym.

"Seriously? You're not going to dump pig's blood on my head or something?" asked Brooke in surprise.

"Nope. Honest. In?" asked Haley. Brooke could tell she was trying as hard as she was able to be nice.

"In. Thanks, Haley," said Brooke. Haley smirked.

"No problem, Miss School Spirit," she said, as she walked off laughing.

Haley's gasp was surprised, yet knowing, when a hand snaked around her waist and pulled her into a classroom.

"You saw us coming, didn't you, you coward?" she asked, as Nathan lifted her onto a desk.

"Shh. Don't have much time," he said.

"But you just got to have me now?" teased Haley.

"Because you're completely indifferent?" asked Nathan. He covered her protesting lips with his.

Ten minutes later, the two walked out of the classroom again. Haley expected Nathan to continue on as she slumped against a wall of lockers, but he stopped and walked over to her. Towering over her small frame, he leaned on the one hand he rested on the wall.

"You okay?" he asked. He cupper her face in his free hand and stroked it with his thumb.

"Don't," she said. She pushed his hand away and frowned.

"Why not? It's been weeks since you were with Lucas," he protested.

"And years that I was," said Haley.

"I didn't think class differences mattered to you then. At least not anymore," said Nathan. He looked angry.

"That's not it," she said. He leaned down and kissed her. The entire hallway stopped and stared.

"Then what is it?" he asked, his face inches from hers.

"Somehow I can't remember," she whispered, pulling him into her again.

XxxxxX

Lucas Scott took the news philosophically when he heard, but Brooke Davis was furious.

"That bitch! That self centred, two faced slut! She was the girl I heard Nathan with! Here she is, being all sweet and sexing my best friend behind my back! And what about him? Hmm? He's my best friend! He practically lives at my house! I deserve better than this!" she ranted angrily.

"Babe…" he began.

"Shut up, Lucas. I'm not finished. And that's how we find out? By hearing from Theresa that they were making out in the frikkin hallway? What is that? You've known her for years!"

"Doesn't this mean we can come out?" asked Lucas apprehensively.

"No! I will not stoop to her level!" raged Brooke.

Lucas was inclined to comment that she already had, but he knew better.

"Think she'd know it was us if we TP'd her house?" wondered Brooke aloud. "Or egged her car?"

"Why would we do that?" he asked.

"You're right, it's too bold. We have to do something worse. Less traceable. Maybe we could stick her hand in warm water when her and Nate are having a sleepover? But does that even really work?" asked Brooke.

"I don't know. Brooke…"

"Yeah, maybe you're right. We could…"

"BROOKE!" yelled Lucas. Her brown eyes flickered to him in annoyance.

"What?"

"WE are not doing anything. Neither are you. This is insane. Haley's making an effort to be nicer to you, you're dating her ex, what's the problem?" he asked. She looked vulnerable for a moment. On impulse, he took her into his arms and held her fast against him.

"I can't believe he didn't tell me," she whispered.

"I'm sure he would have," soothed Lucas, whispering into her hair.

"I'm not," she answered back, feeling suddenly very alone.

XxxxxxX

Pride prevented Brooke from skipping out on the game. When she got to the gym a half hour before gametime to stretch with the rest of the cheerleaders, Haley looked at her apprehensively, but when Brooke simply smiled, Haley decided that she somehow didn't know.

Both girls were anxious when Whitey appeared, scowling in a mixture of worry and annoyance.

"What's up, coach?" asked Jake Jagielski, noting the old man's grim look.

"It's Lucas. He's not here, his mom's not here, or his daddy," he lamented.

"What?" gasped Brooke and Haley simultaneously. Brooke blushed a moment later, but Haley hadn't noticed her slip.

"He's gone, and we're about to lose our undefeated season," growled Brian Durham, looking anxious for his star player despite his cold words.

"What are we gonna do?" asked Tim.

"That boy a yours-he around somewhere?" asked Whitey, directing his question at Haley. A light flashed through his eyes.

"Nathan," she gasped, before sprinting out of the gym.

She found him outside, climbing out of his Mustang.

"Nathan," she said. She ran to him and took both of his hands. He leaned down to kiss her lightly. "Lucas isn't here. We're down a player. You in?"

"You serious?" he asked. He glanced above her head, to the gym.

"As a heart attack," she said, dragging him in by the hand, no idea how close her words were to the truth.

Within moments, Nathan was wearing the white and blue home jersey of the Raven's, and the game was in play.

Both Brooke and Haley couldn't help but feel proud at how easily he jelled with the team, how seamlessly they worked together. How many baskets Nathan scored (or was it made? Neither knew nor cared) by the end of the first half.

On impulse, Brooke used a school pay phone to check her messages. When she did, she was surprised to receive one from Karen Scott-but her surprise quickly turned to terror as she dropped the phone and screamed incomprehensively to Haley.

XxxxxxX

Nathan Lee was on fire. He knew it, they all knew it. He'd scored seventeen points already. It was a phenomenon. Nathan knew he'd never be "just a tutor" ever again.

The cheering of his sister, his best friend and his girlfriend had provided comfort to him the entire time, so he was disappointed when he got back and neither Brooke nor Haley was present among the cheerleaders. He glanced at Justine, who returned his look with a blank look of her own.

The buzzer went off. The visiting team scored and scored again, but Nathan and the Ravens quickly put them back in their place. Without the influence of the women he loved Nathan played less, but they managed to keep ahead until Whitey called a timeout.

"Nate!" whispered Justine Lee furiously, her normally animated face white.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Whitey called out to him.

"Brooke and Haley. They're at the hospital. Lucas Scott passed out," she said nervously. She gasped as Nathan dropped his towel and ran out into the parking lot.

XxxxxxX

Brooke dimly registered nurses coming and going, the machines beeping, the sharp smell of cleaning products, but her attention was focused on Lucas Scott, lying seemingly lifeless in the bed.

"You're together, aren't you," said Haley, staring at Lucas' hand, clasped in Brooke's.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Guess this makes us equal?" asked Haley, her voice low and unassuming.

"Fine. Friends?" asked Brooke, more forgiving in tragedy.

"Sister's?" asked Haley.

"Let's go for a mix," said Brooke. For a moment she allowed her eyes to drift off of Lucas and smile at Haley.

"Perfect," she said. She gently smoothed back Lucas' spiky blonde hair as Nathan ran into the room.

Haley didn't mind when he first went to Brooke and kissed the top of her head. Obviously he'd sensed her grief, realized the situation before Haley had. He made it up by going over to he other side of the bed and kissing his girlfriend.

"What happened? Teeny told me he was here," he explained. Haley spoke, in a lifeless tone.

"Something's wrong with his heart. HCM, it's called," she said sadly.

"It's the muscles in his heart. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It's genetic and occurs commonly in athletes," said Brooke dully.

"Does that mean he can't..?" asked Nathan.

"Not if he wants to live," said Haley.

"Not that there's any question that he won't," said Nathan, catching a glance of Brooke's ashen face.

"Of course not," said Haley, placing her hand on Brooke's.

Both gasped when the hand under theirs-Lucas'-stiffened and relaxed. Six eyes swiveled to his face as his eyes slowly opened.

"What happened?" he asked slowly.

"You passed out. Are you okay?" asked Haley anxiously.

"Don't worry," he said, his voice creaking. His eyes met Brooke's, and Haley took Nathan's hand and gently led him out of the room. Brooke slid onto the bed and sat as close to him as she dared.

"Feeling better?" she asked. A tear slipped from her eye.

"I am now," he said. She smiled.

"Here," she said. Brooke held a glass of water to his lips.

"Thanks."

"So something occurred to me when you were lying there," she said.

"What's that?" he asked. He looked scared for a moment, for the first time since he'd awoken.

"I love you," she whispered. He squeezed the hand clasped in his.

"I love you too," said Lucas. Tears streaming rapidly down her cheeks, she rested her head on his chest and allowed herself to sob her heart out.


	16. The Lifted Veil

Chapter Sixteen: The Lifted Veil

_Author's note: I feel the need to bring your attention to the latest chapter in brookenlucas12's story, Only the Good Die Young. I make a cameo in it. You know Lucas' bitchy date? Yep, that's me. Tee hee hee._

The neighborhood was quiet, as if in mourning. Cars went slowly down the streets, afraid to disturb the peace. The peace that the grieving residents of the street would do anything to be rid of, so they could at least voice their pain.

Haley's brown eyes were clear and completely dry. She sat in her windowframe, curled up into the smallest possible area that she could. She remembered the times that she and Lucas had sat in that same window, licking Popsicles, singing at the top of their lungs and dangling their legs out.

She rested her head against the frame and tried to force herself to cry, but no tears would come. She'd been able to cry when she'd broken up with him but not when he was lying in a hospital bed with his girlfriend, possibly dying.

For once, Haley wished that her parents would come home. Fill the house with noise, mess, even laughter. Give her something to think about. But of course they didn't come.

They'd never come.

The only footsteps on the stairs had been hers. And his. Sliding down the banisters, sliding on the shiny hardwood. The vast, empty house had been their playground. They'd gotten older, floated on the pool, made out in the hot tub.

Haley was so wrapped up in her reverie that she didn't hear the footsteps on the staircase that she'd longed for.

It took only one glimpse of Nathan's endearing, calming face for Haley to summon the tears that she'd been lacking.

"Hales…" he said softly. He took her hand and led her to the bed and sat her in his lap while she began to sob.

"He's going to be okay," he said.

"We don't know that!" sobbed Haley, burrowing her head into his shoulder.

"Sure we do. The doctor isn't worried," he whispered.

"He's in the hospital. Hooked up to all those machines. I'm scared, Nate," she cried. He rubbed her back comfortingly, but a dark scowl began to spread over his features, as an image of his girlfriend and her ex filled his mind.

"It's not just that, is it?" asked Nathan, before he could stop himself.

"What?" she asked.

"Haley, are you in love with him?" asked Nathan. When nothing else could, this shocked Haley out of her tears. She sat up straighter and looked into his empty face, suddenly so far away from her. She touched her hand to his face and smiled through her wet eyes.

"Nathan, you mean more to me than I ever thought possible," she said. Her hand lifted and she smoothed his dark hair.

His hand wrapped tighter around her as he remembered the image he'd once had of her, as the beautiful yet arrogant girl, and the one he had now.

"I'm not in the mood tonight, but can you stay with me?" she asked. He nodded silently. It wasn't until they were curled up under the covers together that Nathan realized it was only the second time he'd spent the night with a girl, and it was the same girl.

XxxxxxX

Early the next morning, as had become her routine, Haley awoke and prepared to spend as many hours at the hospital as her schedule would permit.

She didn't know why she bothered, as Lucas was most often asleep. Mostly she talked to Brooke, or to Karen, or Jake or whoever happened to be visiting.

Nathan's eyes bored holes in her as she scurried around the room, getting dressed and collecting things to take to Lucas at the hospital.

"Why so early?" he asked.

"Sometimes Brooke can't be there till later," said Haley, as she examined her shoe collection.

"Isn't he still asleep all the time?" asked Nathan. Despite Haley's words of affection the previous night, Nathan's eyes were cold.

"That's beside the point. It's tradition, Nathan. We've known each other our whole lives, we've helped each other when we were sick. It's how it is," she said firmly.

"It's fine, Haley. But I'm going with you," he said, standing up and fiddling with his car keys.

Haley looked sideways at him. He'd come the first day, but he hadn't since. He had no need to. Lucas and Nathan had barely even spoken. They were from different worlds entirely.

The two went silently in Nathan's car to the hospital. For the first time in weeks, the magic had disappeared. It was if a veil had been lifted, one which had been constantly surrounding them, making even the most mundane details of their lives magic.

Now it was gone, and they were left to make things beautiful with their own devices.

Nathan stayed at the door to Lucas' room as Haley ran in and kissed his forehead before smoothing out the ripples in his bedclothes and taking his hand and squeezing it lightly. Slowly his eyes opened and he smiled at her.

"Hey, you're late," he whispered, with a voice that she didn't entirely recognize.

"Sorry, I'll come earlier tomorrow. Where's Brooke?" she asked.

"I'm just going to…" began Nathan, gesturing toward the hallway. Haley nodded distractedly and didn't look up. His face a mask of anger again, he left the room.

Nathan wandered down the hallway. He smiled flirtatiously at a passing nurse.

"Hey," he said. She looked up at him and smiled back.

"Hey."

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Ange. Yours?" asked the nurse.

"Nathan. I'm here visiting," he said.

"Your girlfriend?" asked the nurse.

"Definitely not my girlfriend. Ange," he said.

"Well, that's good to hear," said the nurse. He smiled once more, but he was uneasy. Obviously the nurse thought he was much older than he was. She was older-at least twenty-seven.

"Brooke," he said in surprise, as Brooke rounded the corner of the hallway.

"What, fucking her to?" asked Brooke, folding her arms. Ange the nurse made a noise of indignity and moved on.

"I'm not with Haley for sex. And I'm not with her at all," said Nathan in annoyance.

"Why are you with her at all? We've spent fifteen years hating her. She's been a bitch to me for my entire life!" said Brooke.

"She's different than you see," said Nathan.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" she asked.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's different. Lucas isn't your brother," challenged Brooke.

"Of course not. But it was the same reason. I've lived my entire life with you, Brooke, it was scary to do something I know you'd disapprove of," replied Nathan.

"Then why'd you do it?" asked Brooke. He looked straight at her for the first time.

"Because I'm in love with her," he said. Brooke gasped in surprise, and remembered the realization she'd had the night she'd almost walked in on them.

"Um, congratulations?" said Brooke in confusion. He made a grab for her arm as she hurried past, to confirm his belief that there were tears on her face, but she passed too quickly.

She ran down the hall and into Lucas' room. Haley was sitting beside Lucas' bed in silence. Brooke almost smiled when she saw how awkward Lucas and Haley looked, every vestige of romance stripped from them.

"Oh, hey Brooke, we were just wondering where you were," said Haley, in obvious relief.

"Sorry," she said. She walked to the bed and kissed Lucas.

Haley looked up as Nathan walked in and smiled at her as though the tense moments had never happened between them.

"Hey," she said.

"Hi."

Nathan walked over and sat beside her.

"Where were you?" she asked in a whisper.

"Missing you," he replied. Smiling, she tucked her head into his shoulder, convinced again that everything would be all right.


	17. Suddenly Everything Has Changed

Chapter Seventeen: Suddenly Everything Has Changed

Nathan called out for Justine when he walked in the front door, but he was secretly glad when she didn't call back. He didn't feel awake enough to contend with his little sister. He didn't feel awake enough to do anything but fall back into his bed and sleep.

Whitey had finally approached him and requested that he take Lucas' starting line position on the team. Though Lucas was still in the hospital, he'd been lightly warned by the team not to join. And Haley had blown off their date to go hang out with Lucas.

He stopped suddenly when an image of his girlfriend and his rival flashed through his head. He wondered what they'd said to each other in the intimate act. If Haley ever missed Lucas, if she ever compared the two. Then, without warning, Brooke flew into his head-and he wondered if she ever made the same comparison.

Brooke flew right back out of his head when he banged open his door and was greeted with the sight of his girlfriend. His girlfriend lying on his bed. His girlfriend, his Haley, attired only in a bikini comprised entirely of whipped cream.

"You know," he said, folding his arms and taking in the sight of her, "I was in a bad mood a second ago, but suddenly I can't remember why."

XxxxxxX

"Stay here," commanded Haley, sitting cross legged with Nathan as he packed a suitcase for going to visit his grandparents.

"You know I can't," he said.

"Sure you can. What am I supposed to do with a whole weekend without you? Guess I'll have to make my own party," said Haley suggestively.

"Damn, why do you have to make it so hard?"

"That's my job. Wait, where you referring to your leaving?" she asked, her eyes wide and pseudo innocent.

"Well, I was. Hey, I have an idea. Why don't you hang out with Brooke?" suggested Nathan. Haley considered this.

"She hates me. She's pretending she doesn't but seriously, my father's her father, I dated her boyfriend for like a million years and I stole her best friend from her," recited Haley.

"Come on, make an effort," pleaded Nathan.

"Fine. I'll try," said Haley, caving. She fell back onto the bed. Nathan looked between her and his half filled suitcase before falling on top of her and kissing her. Really it wasn't a very hard decision.

XxxxxxX

Brooke looked on anxiously as a nurse performed the checkup that she did every night. It was the only nurse in the hospital that Brooke knew by name-the one that Nathan had been blatantly flirting with when he'd been jealous of Lucas.

"You know, she doesn't look in that often on anybody else. I think she likes you," joked Brooke.

"She's not my type," replied Lucas, laughing.

"How is hot nurse not your type?" pressed Brooke.

"My type has darker hair, bigger dimples. And looks better in a cheerleading uniform," said Lucas. Brooke grinned, leaned down and kissed him lightly. Both longed for more, but Lucas had been warned not to engage in strenuous activity.

"I'll come back," said Haley, as she entered the room. Brooke sprung up.

"Don't bother, visiting hours are just ending," said Brooke, standing up and grabbing her bag.

"Yeah. Sorry, I'll come earlier tomorrow," said Haley stiffly. Brooke kissed Lucas' cheek and Haley waved before the two girls departed the room together.

They walked down the hall in silence. Haley was already regretting her promise to Nathan. Getting along with Brooke Davis was apparently harder than met the eye.

When Brooke didn't suggest a destination, Haley automatically turned her car toward a commonly frequented bar.

"Two bars, please?" said Haley smoothly to the guy behind the counter. He looked both girls up and down before shaking his head.

"You're still in high school," he said, turning away from them. Haley's eyes flashed indignantly and she thought quickly. Brooke gasped as she slid her hand onto her hip.

"Please? My friend and I just can't have any fun without your help," she pleaded. Brooke held back a laugh as she realized what Haley was doing, and placed a hand on her shoulder before moving closer.

"Yeah. You would want to stop our night from being… wild, would you?" asked Brooke. She amazed both of them by letting her hand trail along Haley's arm.

"Just this once," said the bartender, staring at the two girls. He handed them their drinks.

The laughter that had been bubbling up inside of them escaped as soon as he turned his backs as the two laughed hysterically, gasping for breath.

"Have you ever done that before?" asked Brooke.

"No! I didn't think it would work!" replied Haley, clutching the stitch in her side that had come from her laughter.

"He's going to be disappointed when we don't take him back to my place for a threesome," said Brooke, smiling a dimpled smile.

"Do you think the fact that we're sisters would disturb him at all?"

Brooke stared as Haley called her what she'd gone out of her way not to call her for sixteen years.

"No, I don't think it would," she said. Haley stared as Brooke flashed another dimpled smiled.

"You know, Daddy has dimples," said Haley casually. Brooke nodded, slowly processing the information.

"What's he like?" she asked.

"He's kind of an ass. You're lucky not to have him," said Haley simply, taking another sip of her drink.

"Isn't he better than no Dad at all?" asked Brooke.

"I've been thinking about that a lot lately. I might try to get emancipated," said Haley.

"Where would you stay, Nathan's?" asked Brooke.

"I'm serious. God, I could probably stay at my house, it's not like they're ever home," lamented Haley. Brooke stared at her younger sister, inclined to comment that it made the emancipation completely worthless, while all the while an idea was brewing in her head.

XxxxxxX

Haley awoke the next morning on Brooke's living room couch to Brooke's high pitched, blood curdling scream.

"What's wrong?" she asked, after she'd run in to her bedroom. Haley gasped when Brooke spun around and revealed the naked inside of her thigh. Haley looked closer: what had appeared on first inspection to be a small bruise was something else entirely. A small blue "3" tattooed on the smooth expanse of skin.

"Oh," said Haley weakly, clutching the doorknob.

"How the hell did you convince me to do this?" demanded Brooke. Haley pinched the skin on the bridge of her nose as the night came back to her in broken bits of memories.

"We were pretty far gone," she said. She shut her eyes tightly, and suddenly remembered the trade in for convincing Brooke to get the tattoo. She ran to the mirror and spun around.

Haley winced painfully when she saw the "23" emblazoned on her skin. Silently, she swore to herself that she would never drink again.

"He's going to think that I'm in love with him or something," moaned Haley. Brooke raised an eyebrow and thought back to the scene in the hallway with the slutty nurse and Nathan, when he'd made his fervent declaration.

"And you're not?" she asked.

"It's been like a week since we started dating," said Haley, twisting to see the tattoo fully.

"Haley, it's been like two months now," contested Brooke.

"Whatever," said Haley. Her voice was small and timid. Her confusion in her large eyes seemed to take up her whole face.

"I think you're lying," said Brooke softly. Haley raised her eyes to her sister.

"I think I am, too."

XxxxxxX

The tattoo episode somehow seemed to bring them closer. By mid afternoon Haley was still at Brooke's, they'd made no attempt to contact their respective boyfriends and were happily watching "The Notebook", having discovered a mutual love of it.

"I'm having a great time," said Haley suddenly, breaking the silence between them as Noah began to restore the old house.

"Me too," admitted Brooke.

"I wish I didn't have to leave," said Haley. Both girls looked at each other and Brooke's hazel eyes met Haley's brown ones in a sudden moment of realization.

"Maybe you don't have to," said Brooke.


	18. Lose Yourself

Chapter Eighteen: Lose Yourself

_Author's note: For Ange, whose fault it isn't. Be careful what you wish for._

"You're serious?" asked Haley in amazement.

"Haley, you're my sister," said Brooke, rolling her eyes.

"I know that. But I spent a pretty long time going out of my way to make your life hell," countered Haley.

"Things change. So you'll come?" asked Brooke.

"Of course," whispered Haley, leaning in to hug her new roommate.

Both boys were enlisted to help move Haley from her old house next to Nathan's to Brooke's apartment.

"So you want to explain to me again why you're doing this?" asked Nathan, panting heavily as he dropped a box in Haley's new bedroom.

"Because. I don't like my house. And we're friends now," said Haley.

"Oh, now you like my suggestions?" teased Nathan, coming a step closer.

"Yes, you're a genius. Get over it," advised Haley, seductively walking toward him.

He smiled as she leaned up and gently pressed his lips onto hers. Eagerly he deepened the kiss, pressing open her lips with his tongue and winding his arms around her body.

Haley sprang away when she felt a pair of eyes on her, staring intently. She looked guiltily as Lucas stood in the doorway, watching them kiss.

"Sorry, just taking a break," she excused herself. Lucas stared at Nathan while Nathan possessively hooked an arm around Haley's slim waist.

"Sure," said Lucas.

"Come on, we'll go get more boxes," said Haley, taking Nathan's wrist and neatly giving it back to him.

Her discomfort rapidly growing, Haley fled from the room to join Brooke. Nathan remained, Lucas' smoldering gaze still upon him.

"Have a problem with me?" asked Nathan, folding his muscular arms.

"If you're trying to make me jealous…" began Lucas.

"I'm not with Haley because of anything to do with you," laughed Nathan. "Just like you're with Brooke without having anything to do with me."

"You're not getting my life. You're never going to have it," warned Lucas. Nathan's jaw tightened in anger.

"I'm not you. I'll never be you. I'll be better than you," said Nathan. He uncrossed his arms and clenched his fists.

"Luke!" cried out Brooke, as he made a move to charge Nathan. He stopped and looked back at her.

"Hey," he said weakly.

"The doctor said you had to take it easy," she reminded him. Her brown eyes swiveled between the pair of them.

"Yeah Luke, take it easy," taunted Nathan. Her eyes landed back on him and he nervously unclenched his fists.

"Nathan, give us a minute," said Brooke. He compiled easily and left the room.

"Brooke…"

"What just happened?" she demanded, turning on him.

"Nothing. We were just talking," said Lucas, shrugging.

"Yeah, because you guys are such great friends now," snapped Brooke.

"Like you and Haley," muttered Lucas.

"Haley's my sister."

"Yeah, it really seemed like it when she went out of her way daily to make your life a living hell," said Lucas.

"Living hell is an exaggeration. And it's not like you were entirely blameless," she said angrily.

"What's up with you?"

"With me? Nothing! You know I got a call from Mom today," said Brooke, looking upwards into Lucas' ice blue eyes. "She wants me to move out there."

"Are you going to go?" asked Lucas emotionlessly. Brooke rolled her eyes and stalked out. She'd barely reached the main room when Lucas' footsteps had followed her.

"I don't want you to go," he said simply. She flipped her hair and looked over her shoulder at him. "I love you."

"You too," she whispered, looking suddenly torn.

XxxxxxX

"You know, I miss having you next door," said Nathan, as he and Haley rode together to school the next day.

"Yeah," she said, smiling across at him.

"How's the emancipation thing going?" he asked.

"Fine. I have a meeting with a lawyer. I have a good case, there won't be a problem," said Haley listlessly.

They fell silent as Haley's car drove into the school parking lot and she parked in the spot universally and wordlessly reserved for her.

After quickly kissing each other goodbye they parted ways, each off to their respective classes.

"Hey Nate, can I talk to you for a sec?" asked Brooke nervously, much later in the day. He nodded, not seeing Haley, who'd just appeared at the end of the hallway.

She stared in shock as the two disappeared into an empty classroom together. Eyeing the almost empty hallway, she silently walked toward

The two spoke as if unobserved. Haley couldn't hear them but she could see their expressions-Nathan looking hurt, Brooke looking determined, both looking furtive. She forced herself not to speak out when Brooke leaned up and gently kissed Nathan, brushing her lips on his. Haley didn't wait to see what the outcome was. She ran.

XxxxxxX

The door of their now shared apartment banged open loudly as Haley ran inside the apartment. She slammed it shut again and leaned against it, panting heavily.

She knew then that she'd screwed up. That it had been a mistake to let herself care for Nathan, to let him in as she'd never let Lucas. She'd always known she would end up getting hurt. Lucas had known too. He'd tried to warn her.

Haley blindly made her way to Brooke's bedroom. Her eyes, adjusting slowly to the light, dimly noticed the shambles that Brooke's usually immaculate room was in.

"She's going, isn't she," said Lucas dully. Haley turned around slowly.

"Luke…"

"She is. She's going. I'm losing her. I can't lose her, Haley," said Lucas. Haley walked toward him and comfortingly cupped his cheek in her hand.

"You won't. Brooke loves you. You love her," she said soothingly.

"Not like I loved you," said Lucas. Part of him didn't even seem to realize she was in the room. Haley drifted back to the unforgettable day on the fence in sixth grade.

"What?"

"It's different," said Lucas.

"Of course it's different. We're different," said Haley in surprise. Out of it's own accord her hand moved up from his cheek and ran through his hair.

"What about you and him?" asked Lucas.

"Don't ask me about that. You have no right," said Haley, dropping her hand. He took it in his own, and she didn't resist.

"I have some right," he said, covering her mouth with his.

It was too rehearsed to be really called passionate, but there was tenderness nonetheless as the two stripped each other to the skin and fell down onto Haley's bed, having moved from Brooke's room.

"So, she any better than me?" asked Haley listlessly, hanging over the edge of the bed and staring at the blank wall of her new room.

"Don't know," said Lucas.

"Brooke Davis is actually a virgin?"

"Yeah," said Lucas dully. They avoided each other's eyes. Haley quickly changed back into her clothing and left.

Lucas waited in the dark of Brooke's room until she came back, late that night. She stared at him sitting calmly there, amidst the chaos of her room.

"I need to tell you something," he said simply, his voice as cold as his eyes.


	19. Someday Somebody's Going to Ask You

Chapter Nineteen: Someday Somebody's Going to Ask You

_Author's note: for BOB, who makes me out much worse than I actually am. You know who you are._

Nathan stopped when he saw Brooke sitting by herself in her and Haley's apartment, crying her eyes out. Instantly blaming Lucas, he ran over to sit with her. "Hey buddy," he said softly. He put his arm around her and drew her into him. "Hey," she said.

"What's wrong?" Nathan's entire body tensed as Brooke didn't answer, but let out another sob. He wondered if Haley had done something to her, though he doubted it. Haley was rapidly mellowing, according to him. Then Nathan wondered if Lucas had hit her.

"He cheated on me," she said pitifully. His arm tightened around her shoulder.

"Bastard" he muttered. Brooke sobbed again, and Nathan remembered the matter at hand.

"With who?" he asked, his voice low and comforting. Brooke looked up so suddenly that she shocked him.

"Oh God, you don't know," she murmured.

"Don't know what?" asked Nathan. But in his heart, he already knew.

Lucas was on the river court, shooting baskets. His face was lined and nervous. He knew then that he really loved Brooke, that what had happened with Haley was a mistake.

"Hey. Scott," said Nathan angrily, parking his car by the court and walking on.

"Hey Nathan," said Lucas in annoyance.

"You told Brooke that you loved her, and you hurt her that badly?" demanded Nathan.

"Right, because this is all about Brooke," said Lucas, looking nowhere but straight ahead of him.

"You hurt her…" began Nathan.

"And apparently I hurt you. And Haley. You know I'd call her your girlfriend, but it's a bit of a strong term if she can't last more than a few months with you before turning elsewhere," said Lucas. Nathan's first instinct was to punch in his pretty blonde head, but he forced himself to hold back. He was shaking with anger, his anger touched with fear.

"Haley's mine. She'll always be mine."

"Keep telling yourself that. Because that'll definitely keep her from…" It was then that the first punch fell.

XxxxxX

Haley screamed as she leapt out of her car and encountered the two boys, rolling on the ground, inflicting pain in whatever way possible.

Blood was spurting out of Lucas' nose. Nathan's eye was rapidly swelling and darkening, but still they continued to fight. With all her might she ran to Nathan and wrenched him off Lucas.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" she said anxiously, lifting her hand to examine a cut on Lucas' face. Over her shoulder, he smirked knowingly to Nathan. Suddenly Haley knew what had happened. She dropped her hand.

Nathan stared at her as Lucas got into his car and drove off. With his eyes he peeled off the gentle, misunderstood Haley he'd made for her and saw only the coldhearted life ruiner that all others saw. She shivered, feeling naked without the better image of herself.

"How the hell could you do that? You had to fight? Can't you rise up against your basic animal instinct?" demanded Haley, her voice cold and her eyes warm.

"I'm not the one with the problem rising above basic animal instinct," he said in disgust.

"Nathan…" she pleaded. He walked on past her and shrugged off the hand she gripped on his shoulder.

Haley gasped in alarm as he powerfully and painfully grabbed her right wrist, the one which was falling to the ground.

"You're hurting me!" she winced. But by the time her last words were out, his warm hands had moved from her skin. Already they'd stripped her wrist bare of the beaded bracelet that had once sat there.

Haley watched in horror as he drew back his arm and threw the bracelet. It gracefully flew through the air and landed with a small splash in the river.

"You…" Haley gasped. He threw her a look of disgust.

Nathan didn't give her the opportunity to run away quickly. He got in his own car first, forcing her to watch him drive away from her.

XxxxxxX

She was losing him. He was almost gone. Haley knew there was only one thing she could do.

As she'd done so often, she went into his house without knocking and ran up the stairs. Living with Brooke across town made visits slightly more difficult, but she'd always felt compensated for her trips.

She caught a glimpse of Justine through her open door, but ran before the girl could say anything. She pulled open the door of Nathan's room and ran inside.

"Haley…" said Nathan angrily, standing up from his bed. She walked to him, pressed her fingers to his lips.

"Hush," she whispered. Even his anger didn't stop him from responding to her tender kiss. She pushed them backward onto the bed and pulled off her shirt between kisses.

"Haley, no," said Nathan. She gasped as he pushed her off of him and she landed on the bed, dressed in her jeans and her bra.

"Can't we talk about this?" she begged. She swung herself up to her knees and opened her eyes wider.

"I don't have anything to say to you right now," he said.

"Nathan, please! I love you," she said. A tear dripped from her eye. It didn't effect him.

"You know Haley, yesterday that would have meant everything to me," he said. "Today I can't even believe what might be the truth."

XxxxxxX

Haley's footsteps had been quick and eager when she'd left the apartment earlier that day, but they got back to it slow and reluctantly. She knew Brooke knew. She knew she was about to lose on of the best things that had ever happened to her.

"Brookie?" she called out. Half of her (slightly more than half of her, perhaps) wanted to go hide until the morning, when surely everything would be brighter, but she knew it wouldn't do any good.

It didn't take her long to make a complete circle of the apartment. It wasn't a large place. If Brooke was truly there, Haley knew that nothing would stop her from coming in to rip her head off.

She paused before entering Brooke's bedroom. Lucas Scott was sitting on her bed, his head in his hands. He silently passed the paper in his hands to Haley, whose eyes skimmed it quickly.

_Haley,_

_ This is not about you. I promise. I really loved him but I have to let go. I need you to take care of him. And Nathan. I know I can trust you for that, little sis. _

_You know where I am. Don't tell him. _

_Love Always,_

_ Brooke_

Haley closed her eyes briefly, working out the hidden meanings in the letter.

"What's she saying?" demanded Lucas, standing from the bed.

"This is addressed to me, Lucas," said Haley.

"Don't…" he whispered. Glancing upward she caught a glimpse of his hurt, tragic face. A force she didn't understand put her arms around him and held him closely while he cried.

XxxxxxX

Nathan ran up the walkway to Brooke and Haley's apartment, wiser than he'd been a half hour previously. Thoughts of Haley's declaration of love, of the one he'd make in return, of the peace between them filled his heart as he ran toward their house.

As was his custom, he glanced up at Brooke's open bedroom window.

It was the only thing in the world that could have made him stop, stare and finally turn back.


	20. A Question That You Should Say Yes To

Chapter Twenty: A Question That You Should Say Yes To

Months passed. Haley got the apartment. A job. An emancipation. A broken heart.

After their last time together, they'd barely exchanged two words. Having Nathan as the new star on the basketball team made their contact minimal. Haley couldn't stand having Nathan never look at her for entire weeks on end, and considered quitting cheerleading, but she also knew that she wouldn't be able to survive without at least being able to look at him.

Nathan rose quickly into the ranks of popularity, rising almost to the height of Lucas and Haley. When their breakup became apparent girls began to chase him shamelessly, but went so far out of his way to avoid them that inevitable rumours began to spring that he was gay.

Lucas had flings with a long series of girls. There was Caitlin, Jessica, Katrina, and Janet. Then he was in a relationship so suddenly that Haley was worried. Her name was Davis. She was pretty, smart, funny, and not even a skank. She was a less interesting version of Brooke. Haley knew it. Nathan even knew it.

Familial bonds were strong with Brooke. She never once contacted Lucas but she called Haley from New York weekly. The two talked for hours and Haley caught her up on all the Tree Hill gossip except for Nathan and his solitude, Lucas and his Davis.

Nathan dropped tutoring, and Haley saw him drift away from his former self as she drifted back toward hers.

A heartbroken Brooke settled easily into life in Manhattan with her mother. Her new school saw only the Brooke she'd become, the prettier, showier, more confident Brooke that consequentially became very popular, and very datable. False rumours began to drift around her school that Brooke Davis, the new Queen Bee, was notoriously loose in Tree Hill. But these rumours were proved untrue when she became famous for never sleeping with any of the many guys she dated.

And so it went on for months, the four that had grown so tight rebounding into barely co-existing.

Until, one day, everything changed yet again.

XxxxxxX

In the end, it was Justine who did it. Justine, who underneath her contempt for Haley, admired her greatly and loved her even better when she was with her brother.

Traditionally the two girls would put the cheerleading equipment together while alternating members of the basketball team would put away the balls. After three months passed, Justine waited until the day she knew that Nathan would clean up, and left practice ten minutes early.

Nathan considered running the moment he realized what his sister had arranged, but he forced himself not to be afraid of confrontation with her. At first, he had nothing to worry about. Haley didn't say a word, but blushed hotly the entire time.

Until she cracked.

"So what, you're just not going to talk to me?" she demanded.

"You weren't exactly making yourself available," shot back Nathan.

"God, I said I was sorry," she said.

"Why'd you do it?" demanded Nathan.

"I saw you with Brooke. I thought… Never mind, it doesn't matter. Nathan, I told you I loved you," said Haley.

"Yeah, but you didn't tell me what you did. I had to hear it from Brooke. And speaking of which, how many times do I have to tell you that there's nothing going on?"

"One more time, apparently. Why do you have to be so God damn stubborn?" she said heatedly.

"I'm stubborn? Why do you have to make this my fault?"

"I'm not talking about that. You're not being particularly stubborn about that. I'm talking about how badly you suck without me. You're nothing without me," said Haley.

"And you're nothing without me. You're just a cheerleader," said Nathan. His blow hit her hard, but there was promise in his words.

"Finally you admit it. Nathan, you need me. I need you. I love you," she said. His eyes couldn't help but flash to the legs that were almost wholly revealed in her cheerleading uniform.

"I can have any girl I want," he said.

"Sure you can. But you don't want them, Nathan. If you did, if you really did, you wouldn't bother coming to basketball. Because we both know that basketball isn't the only reason you come. You could spend the time hanging out with blonde girls, and taking them home. But you don't, Nathan," said Haley. She had slowly approached him. They were only feet away.

"I like brunettes…" said Nathan slowly. Haley laughed and toss her golden brown hair over her shoulder.

"How about a mixture?" Haley had always known that she wouldn't have to throw herself at Nathan. She knew that if she'd held off long enough she could make him come to her. And he did.

Haley gasped as Nathan pushed her against the cement wall. Quickly finding the zipper on the back of her uniform he ripped it off before taking her hands in his and holding them above her head.

Nathan was impatient and eager, but he made her come before entering her. She dug her fingernails into his back while he moved around and went in deeper and deeper. Pleasure equal to hers bubbled up inside of him while he came inside of her.

Silence came between them when they were finished. They finished cleaning up the gym together, clad once more in their respective uniforms, not a word passing between them.

"You do realize that that's the second time we've done it in school?" asked Nathan. Haley looked up and laughed.

"Yeah. It had occurred to me. They could probably hear us from the change rooms," she said. Nathan smiled. They walked together to the bleachers. Nathan sat down and she sat on his lap, leaning into his chest while he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. He stroked her hair for a moment.

"I know."

"Are we going to be okay?"

"If what just happened was any indication," said Nathan, smirking. She swatted his arm lightly.

"I'm serious," she entreated.

"We'll be fine. Great," he said.

"Good. I don't think I can stand to lose you again," she said. She settled her head onto his shoulder and sighed in contentment. He looked down at her, feeling tender once again.

"Maybe you don't have to?" he said, before he'd known he would speak. She looked up lazily and turned her head to face him. She slipped her hand into his and squeezed it.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Haley tried to decipher the look in Nathan's blue eyes, but she couldn't discern it.

"Marry me?" he asked in a whisper, his eyes never leaving hers.


	21. Whisper Words of Wisdom

Chapter Twenty-One: Whisper Words of Wisdom

Tears swam in Haley's eyes as she looked at Nathan's earnest face. Part of her, the little girl in her, wanted to flee. Too much had happened. Emotions were pent up inside of her and couldn't escape.

"Are you asking me because you need to trust me again?" she whispered. He brushed away a tear that trickled down her cheek.

"I'm asking you because I'm going to love you forever," promised Nathan.

"How do you know that?"

Nathan looked at her with the look she'd never truly begun to understand, the one that saw more of her than she knew herself. That somehow told her everything she needed to hear without saying a word. With less than a whisper. Haley thought of the brief contentment she'd felt living with Brooke, how lonely her departure had made her. Somehow more lonely than she'd been in all her years of being alone.

"Yes," whispered Haley. Nathan's eyes widened.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Yes," she said again. She leaned forward and kissed him.

"I have to get permission or something…" said Nathan, looking far from worried.

"It's just a stupid form. Come on, we have to get going," said Haley, standing up and yanking on his hand.

"Why?"

"We're going to New Yor…" Haley frowned when a tall, dark haired girl walked in, smiling nervously.

"Haley?" said the girl nervously.

"Davis, right?" she said in response. Nathan scowled in spite of himself and his hold tightened on her hand.

"Yeah. I know you guys are still missing a cheerleader and I was wondering if…" Davis trailed off nervously.

"What, because you haven't replaced her fully yet?" snarled Haley nastily. Davis paled. She was no match for a vindictive Haley.

"I was just…"

"You were just. Please. You know what you're doing," said Haley.

"Actually, I don't. You have a problem with me?" demanded Davis, regaining composure and beginning to anger. Haley took a deep breath.

"Auditions are next week. We'll talk then," said Haley. Nathan winced as he saw Davis eagerly stare as Haley took Nathan's hand and walked out with him. They were back in the public eye.

XxxxxxX

Haley's fist hovered in midair as she contemplated knocking, scared to do so, and scared to turn and leave. Nathan solved the problem by covering her hand in his. They knocked together.

She held her breath as footsteps came toward them, and a female voice indistinctly called out something.

"Yeah?" said the same voice. Haley's breath came in sharply. Brooke's hair was longer, and cut differently to better suit her face. Her clothes were expensive and revealing but not trashy. She looked like Haley. Only different.

"Brooke?" Haley managed to say. Brooke's eyes, which had been growing progressively wider, softened.

"Hales!" she cried in delight, throwing her arms around her younger sister.

"I missed you!"

"You too! You look so pretty!" exclaimed Brooke.

"Your hair! I love it!" said Haley. Nathan smiled at the joyful reunion and compared it to the days before the Classic.

"Hey Brooke," he said. Brooke detached herself from Haley and hugged Nathan.

"Hey buddy," she whispered, nestling into his emrace. Haley smiled and forced herself not to be jealous. Reminded herself that she had no right to be.

"What are you guys doing here?" asked Brooke eventually, when the three of them were sitting down inside the apartment.

She raised her eyebrows, half in worry, half in curiosity, when the two of them exchanged looks. She jealously watched as they made silent communication. The kind she'd made with Lucas.

"Oh, hey," said a voice, just as Haley opened her mouth. Brooke smiled and gestured to the blonde girl that walked in.

"Sorry, I got distracted. Everyone, this is my friend Sam. Sam, this is my friend Nathan and my sister Haley," said Brooke.

"Hi, nice to meet you. Sorry, I have to head out. We're going out tonight-you andJackie are coming, right?" asked Sam. Brooke winced visibly when the name slipped out.

"Jackie?" said Haley, as soon as Sam had stepped out.

"Tell me your news," said Brooke stiffly. Haley rolled her eyes, but she couldn't contain her excitement.

"We're getting married," she revealed.

Nathan's mouth opened to elaborate on the news, but closed again when Brooke looked between the two of them, eyes wide in shock.


	22. The Itch We Know We Are Gonna Scratch

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Itch We Know We Are Gonna Scratch

"Married," said Brooke, her voice flat. Haley quickly looked at Nathan, but his eyes were on Brooke.

"Are you okay?" asked Haley.

"Are you okay? I mean, are you sure you haven't gone insane? Because last time I checked you guys are seventeen and should be thinking about college, not lifelong commitment," she spat out. Haley recoiled slightly in surprise.

"What?"

"How could you do this? Nate, she cheated on you! With my boyfriend! Don't you care about…" Nathan cut her off swiftly.

"Brooke, don't make this about you," he said. She scowled at him.

"You're just not seeing the big picture here," said Brooke, talking slowly, as she would to a child.

"I don't think you are, either," said Haley.

"Shut up Haley," said Brooke, giving her a withering look. Six months previously, such an insult wouldn't have fazed her. Now it hit her like a slap on the face.

"Can you give us a moment, Hales?" asked Nathan, looking angrily at Brooke. Haley nodded and left without making eye contact with either of them.

Brooke stared at him, looking betrayed and furious. He matched her look with one of his own.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked eventually.

"Because we're in love. I know your love didn't work out but that doesn't mean we have to tiptoe around you forever," he said.

"I'm not in love with Lucas. He's a bastard, and I hope I never see him again," said Brooke. Her eyes said differently.

"Who'sJack then, your boyfriend?" asked Nathan. Brooke didn't say anything. Nathan didn't need her to say anything.Jack wasn't her boyfriend. He knew that.

"Get out," she said angrily. He compiled.

Brooke fell beck onto the couch and buried her face in her hands. Haley walked silently back into the room and folded her arms, staring at her sister.

"What do you want?" asked Brooke in annoyance.

"I know how you feel. I just wish you'd talk to me," said Haley simply. Brooke looked up, her dark eyes flashing.

"Like hell you do. You fucked my boyfriend. You're my sister, and I was in love with him," said Brooke.

"You still are. And although that's not what I was talking about, let's go there. I know how he feels, too. How's he's beating himself up for being such a moron. How he'd take it back in a second if he could. How badly hurt he is, for hurting you. He loves you, you know he does. What he did-what we did-doesn't change that," said Haley.

"If he loved me he wouldn't have slept with you," said Brooke, seemingly ignorant to all else.

"That's not true. He does love you. He was confused. He was scared to lose you. It's something he never felt with me," said Haley softly. Slowly she went to sit by her sister.

"Why do you think you know what I'm feeling?" asked Brooke. For a moment, Haley considered telling Brooke the truth. That what had happened with her and Lucas hadn't been a one time mistake, it was a pattern.

"I know what it feels like to lose someone," said Haley, taking Brooke's hand in comfort.

XxxxxxX

"Justine should be here," said Haley, looking sideways at Nathan.

"And my Mom," said Nathan.

"_And Lucas_," said Brooke, silently to herself.

The cab pulled up to their destination, an Anglican church. The three of them got out and stared at it, it's fairly modern architecture. Haley, standing in the middle, took Nathan's hand and Brooke's, uniting the three. Brooke squeezed her hand.

"You'll do great. Come on," she said. She pulled on her hand, making a train out of the three of them, with Nathan following along in the end. As he drew behind Haley, he caught a glimpse of her tattoo. Of the proclamation that she was his. He smiled.

XxxxxxX

As night fell, Brooke made herself scarce but directed the cab toward her apartment.

Haley tucked her head into Nathan's shoulder in the cab, but neither of them spoke. They had too many things too say, or maybe not enough. The idea that they would be together forever was unfathomable. Especially considering that less than a year ago, both thought that they'd end up with completely different people, who they now hoped would end up with each other.

Nathan lifted Haley into his arms as they reached the door, and carried her inside. He dropped her on the bed Brooke had told him was the spare, and shed the belt he was wearing.

His hands were shaky as he climbed on top of her. He didn't know what to do. This was far out of his area of expertise. He knew all about angry sex, make up sex. But loving, married sex seemed like a different thing altogether. Or should he call it making love?

Haley looked into his eyes as she felt his hands cautiously run over her upper body. She leaned up to kiss him, but it didn't prompt him to feverishly rip her shirt from her shoulders. They were beyond that.

Haley knew it was time for action. Nathan reacted instantly as she pushed him off of her, and lay back on the pillows beside her. She quickly sat up and straddled him, letting her hair down in one fluid moment.

"Come on, are you going to get me there or am I going to have to do it myself?" she asked, sliding out of her shirt and enjoying the look in his eyes.

XxxxxxX

Nathan was fairly sure that Haley was asleep when they lay together on the bed much later. He kissed her hair and admired its freshly washed scent. It was a scent he could get used to waking up next to. He thought about his mother's face when she'd told him he was going to get married, the triumphant gleam in the eyes of Justine Lee as she realized that her scheme had been successful.

Brooke's hurt look when she told him. Was it because of her feelings for him, or because of what she still felt for Lucas? Nathan knew better than to pry. She still wasn't ready.

His thoughts went back to Haley as she sighed in her sleep and muttered something unintelligible. He fingered the band on her left hand. His left arm was beginning to go numb with her head resting on it, but he didn't want to disturb her.

XxxxxxX

Brooke pulled her cell phone out of her purse and stared at it. Her finger blindly fingered the "1", the first number she'd programmed into it when she'd received it. She hadn't reprogrammed it. She didn't have the heart.

There were so many reasons to call him. Because of Nathan and Haley, because of Ben. Because she still loved him.

Her finger pressed down slightly, and the phone began to dial. Hesitantly she brought it to her ear. She held her breath as it rang, and picked up.

"Lucas?" she said.

"No, this is just his phone," said a female voice.

"And who's this?" demanded Brooke. It didn't sound like anyone it could be that she wouldn't mind. Namely his mother.

"I'm Davis, his girlfriend. He's not around, but I can take a message," said the same bright, friendly voice. A tear slipped from Brooke's eye.

"Just tell him that Nathan and Haley are safe," she said, hanging up abruptly.

XxxxxxX

Haley ran to the bathroom as her own cell rang, and answered it, her voice quiet to keep Nathan from waking.

"Haley?" came Lucas' voice.

"Luke," she whispered.

"Where are you?" he asked, sounding worried.

"New York," she said. She paused. "With Brooke."

"Is she coming back?"

Haley was silent for a long moment, trying to decide how to respond. Then she did so in the only way she knew how:

"I guess that's up to you, isn't it, Luke?" she said, taking the phone away from her ear and hanging up on him.

Nathan was sitting up in bed when she came back. He smiled at her, and glanced at her legs which were mostly revealed in the t-shirt of his that she wore. She walked over and sat in her lap.

"I love you," she whispered. He smiled, and kissed the top of her head again.

_"I could get used to this_," he thought to himself.


	23. It'll Come Back Around

Chapter Twenty-Three: It'll Come Back Around

"Luke, you got a call," said Davis quietly, when he entered her room. He raised his eyebrows as she handed him his phone.

"Oh, who?" he asked in surprise.

"A girl," she said, trying to sound genial. She wasn't stupid. She knew it was too early to sound jealous, as much as she wanted to.

"Haley? She ran off the other day, and Jussy said she set up her and Nathan," explained Lucas.

"No, it wasn't Haley. She said to say Haley and Nathan were okay, but it wasn't Haley," said Davis. He looked up at her and shrugged.

"So? Who was it?" he asked.

"Brooke."

"She hasn't contacted me in months," he said, laughing it off.

"What went on between you two, anyway?" she asked, her voice rising slightly.

"We dated a bit. No big deal. We should go, there's a party at Jagielski's," he said. He walked back out through her door and she stared after him for a moment. It wasn't fair to call this the end. Anything that ended had to have a beginning. And nothing could begin with Lucas Scott while he was still in love with Brooke Davis.

XxxxxxX

"You guys really need to go home," called out Brooke, as heard a moan of desire immediately upon entering her apartment. The moans abruptly stopped and within a seconds a blushing Haley appeared, wrapped in her dressing gown.

"We're going tonight. I promise. You can still come with us," said Haley. Brooke opened her mouth to answer as the door opened again.

A woman in her mid thirties entered, followed by a cumbersome baby carriage. The woman was fairly youthful looking, and noticeably pretty. Brooke smiled.

"Hey Mom," she said. She looked intensely uncomfortable, and even more so as her mother glanced around the room and caught sight of Haley, instantly identifying her.

"Haley James," she said under her breath in amazement. Nathan followed her out in the hall and his gaze flickered to the carriage as the child within began to whale.

"Haley James-Lee. It's nice to meet you, Ms. Davis," she said uncomfortably.

"Yes," she said indistinctly. Her eyes swept over Haley, obviously taking in the similarities to Brooke. Haley blushed under her searching gaze.

"Who's this, Diane?" he asked, directing his comment at Brooke's mother.

"Hey Nathan. This is Jack, of course. Brooke's…" Brooke coughed distinctly and Diane's gaze met her daughter's. "Brooke's new cousin. Just born."

Diane Davis picked the small baby into her arms and soothed him as his wails grew louder.

"He's sweet. We were going soon, sorry to intrude," said Haley, going back into the room. Nathan remained, and rolled his eyes. Haley had grown in almost every way since her other life, but in some ways she was still so blind.

XxxxxxX

Haley stared out the window as their car whizzed through the empty countryside. Occasionally they'd pass a gas station, or a village, but nothing that caused her thoughts to shift from Brooke and how much she missed her.

"You tired?" asked Nathan eventually.

"Nope. Just sad," she said.

"She'll come around," he said comfortingly. She looked over at him and gave him a half smile.

"She has to," said Haley, to comfort herself as well as him.

She was asleep when they pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building, so Nathan left the bags in the trunk and walked over to her door. She began to slip out of the car as he opened it, so he reached out and lifted her into his arms.

Haley stirred after Nathan had carried her up the elevator and down the hall.

"Hey, put me down," she commanded, her words slurring in her half slumber.

"In a second," he said comfortingly.

"You're such a gentleman," she said fondly, resting her head on his shoulder as he opened the door.

He set her down just inside their doorway and he looked around in satisfaction. They'd informally agreed to live here, at her and Brooke's house, at least until other arrangements could be made. It wouldn't make much difference for him. He'd spent much of his life here already, hanging with Brooke and later with Haley.

Haley began to check the messages on her answering machine, but stopped as the announcement came on that it was her and Brooke's house.

"Come on, we have to change that," she said, smiling at him.

XxxxxxX

Nathan jogged down the hallway toward their apartment. Basketball practice had just finished, and he was eager to get away from the probing questions about where he and Haley had gone.

"Haley?" he called, as he entered the apartment.

"Oh, hey Nate," said Justine, wandering into the room, still clad in her cheerleading uniform.

"What're you doing here?" he asked in surprise.

"Not exactly feeling the love here. But we're all here," she explained, as Haley appeared behind her.

"All?" he asked, as she moved into kiss him.

"Just a few," she said innocently, as Bevin Gilmore, Theresa Mendez and Peyton Sawyer appeared.

Nathan quickly walked across the room to access the shower, feeling awkward in the roomful of girls he didn't know.

"So you're a tutor and a basketball player? How does that fit?" asked Peyton, as he began to retreat.

"You're a blond cheerleader, and you're lecturing me about stereotypes?" he asked.

"I'm not your average cheerleader," she said proudly.

"You're not? What is then?" asked Nathan. Haley frowned despite her self.

"I don't know, your wife?" supplied Peyton.

"Shut up," he said playfully, walking further down the hall.

"You shut up," she said, as Nathan entered the bathroom.

Bevin, Justine and Theresa exchanged surprised looks for a second. Peyton hadn't been lying. In general, she wasn't a typical cheerleader. She didn't backstab. She wasn't a bitch.

"Come on, these guys need their privacy. Let's go," said Justine, smiling apologetically at her sister-in-law.

"These guys don't care much about privacy," joked Peyton as she left. Haley frowned, finally comprehending why Nathan had been so mad at her.

3


	24. Almost Forgotten

Chapter Twenty-Three: Almost Forgotten

_Author's note: Please remember that due to an overuse of the name "Ben" I have changed the Ben in this story (Brooke' baby cousin) to be called Jack henceforth. Sorry for the confusion._

Haley glanced over her shoulder as Nathan stepped in the front door. He smiled to himself. He remembered the first Haley he'd seen: his girlfriend Haley, with her pristine appearance. Haley was now as she always was at the end of the day: dressed in her jeans, his sweatshirt, her hair messily tied back.

"Dinner'll be ready in a second," she said, turning back to the pot on the stove. He walked over to her, pushed several strands out of the way and gently kissed the nape of her neck.

"I always feel guilty when I watch you do this," he said into her ear.

"Why?"

"Because I'm always worried you're going to wake up in twenty years and resent me for making you have dinner on the table every night or something," he said.

"But you don't. I like to cook, Nate," she said.

"I didn't claim that it was a rational fear," he said.

"Good, then worry all you want," she teased.

Her eyes slid close as his kisses travelled down her neck. Unable to resist, she turned around and put her arms around his neck, kissing him sensually. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in, bridging the distance between them.

The doorbell cut into the spell, and Nathan turned his head toward it in annoyance.

"Please tell me that that isn't your cheerleaders," he said. She laughed and slipped out of his arms.

"No, they're hanging at Theresa's. I wonder..." she opened the door and quieted immediately. Standing awkwardly on the porch was Davis Taylor. The last person on Earth Haley expected it to be.

"Can I come in?" she asked, the slight tremor in her voice the only thing distracting from her brave stance.

Haley silently stood aside as Davis walked in and cast a glance around the room. Haley nodded toward the sofa and the three of them sat.

"What do you want?" asked Haley bluntly.

"I just want to know if I'm fighting a losing battle," she said simply.

"With Lucas," stated Nathan, before Haley could speak. Davis nodded.

"You love him?" asked Haley. Davis shrugged uncomfortably.

"He's not in love with me. You don't have to worry about that. But you've definitely got an opponent in Brooke," admitted Haley, feeling sorry for her for the first time.

"Your sister?" questioned Davis in surprise. Haley forced herself to remember that to the outside observer, Brooke and Lucas hadn't really been anything to each other. They'd kept their relationship almost entirely under wraps.

"Yeah. She's still in love with him," said Nathan.

"They might always be," said Haley gently. Davis nodded.

"It's not fair," she said, half to herself.

"Hey, we're just about to have dinner, do you want to stay?" asked Haley kindly. Davis looked up in surprise.

"Sure, that'd be great. Did I make the squad?" she asked curiously, guessing that she'd rarely be on Haley's good side again.

Haley considered this. Davis had been the best to try out, but if the news got back to Brooke (and it would) Brooke would feel betrayed.

"I'll give you a shot," she finally conceeded.

XxxxxxX

Davis left that evening at around eight, at which point Nathan and Haley sat together at their kitchen table and worked through their homework.

Haley automatically reached over and answered her cell as it began to vibrate.

"Hello?" she said, her eyes focused on her homework.

"Hey," said the voice.

"Hey Peyton. What's up?" she asked. Nathan looked up from his own work, glad of the excuse to be rid of it.

"Actually I was just wondering if Nathan was around," said Peyton.

Haley wordlessly passed the phone to her husband and sat back in her chair, folding her arms.

"Peyton? You know you could call my phone..." said Nathan, pausing for a second before laughing. He flashed a small smile to Haley before getting up, walking to their bedroom and closing the door firmly behind him, blocking out his conversation.

Haley waited impateitnly for the fifteen minutes he spent inside the bedroom to be up. When he exited, she quickly stood and put her hands on her hips, glaring at him.

"What?" he asked innocently, tossing her back her phone. She caught it purely on reflex.

"I didn't realize you guys were so close," she said nastily.

"You were doing homework. I didn't want to disturb you," he said slowly.

"You were supposed to be, too! But I guess she's worth blowing it off for? Or is her blowing worth blowing it off for, I guess is really the question," said Haley. He advanced toward her in two long strides, and for a moment Haley was certain that he was going to hit her. Perhaps Nathan was certain of it, too. He looked angry enough, but her forced himself to be calm and drop his hand.

"I'm not having this conversation with you," he said.

"Like hell you aren't," she growled.

"You don't have the right, Haley," he said. Haley knew he was correct. If anyone had the right to be possessive or angry, it was him.

"Go to hell," she said, backing into their bedroom and slamming the door shut while he went out the front door and did the same.


	25. It Never Rains

Chapter Twenty-Five: It Never Rains

Nathan slowly opened his eyes, blinking in confusion at his unfamiliar surroundings. His arm went automatically around the place his wife usually lay, but he was surprised to find it empty. His arm wound around thin air as the door opened.

"Good sleep?" asked Peyton sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.

"It sucked. Thanks for letting me crash," he said, sitting up in bed.

"No problem. Though I'm curious as to why you had an argument with your wife about me and came to prove her right," said Peyton. Nathan paused a second before laughing.

"I didn't know where to go. Brooke's gone, and without her I don't really have anyone I can count on," he said sadly. Peyton went and sat beside him on the bed.

"You do now. Chill, she'll forgive you," said Peyton comfortingly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Nathan looked sideways at her and smiled. For years, Peyton had been something of a dream to him. She was tall, pretty and blonde, and everything he was sure he could never have. This was before the days he'd begun to feel for Brooke, fall for Haley. He hadn't even known Peyton, he'd just seen her.

He leaned forward without pausing to think. His hand curved around her neck and she braced herself in anticipation as he lowered his lips to hers. He responded eagerly to the slight pressure on her lips and they fell backward onto the bed, their bodies pressed together.

Clad only in his boxers, Nathan could clearly feel the leg that wrapped around him, all her curves pressed into his body. He took her by the shoulders and turned so that he was on top of her, their kisses deepening as their hands began to explore.

A loud noise started them, and Nathan immediately leapt off of her and made a blind grab for the phone on the bedside table, turning his back to her.

"Hello?" he said quickly, running a hand through his mussed hair.

"Nathan?" said Haley quietly.

"Hey," he said in relief.

"Can you come home? I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"I'll be right there," he promised.

"Great. Love you," she said. He clicked off the phone before he had time to think, and turned back to Peyton.

She stared deeply into his eyes, looking wounded and somehow lost.

"I'm sorry," he said eventually. He was startled when a solitary tear dripped down her cheek.

"This isn't fair, Nathan," she said. He went to sit beside her, turning off his phone as he did so.

"What isn't?"

"This! I feel so much for you but you're married. It's not fair," she said again. He put a reluctant hand on her shoulder and didn't stop her as she turned inward to him and put her arms around his neck.

"By tomorrow you'll be wondering why you're crying, I promise," he said, into her blonde curls.

"You're going home to her now, aren't you?" asked Peyton.

"Yes. I am," he said stiffly. Peyton slowly dropped her hands and turned away.

"Then I'm sorry, too," she said, refusing to look at him as he gathered his things and exited quickly. Only looking up when he was finally gone to let one glint of victory slip into her somber expression.

XxxxxxX

Haley fruitlessly dialed Nathan's phone one more time before giving up and calling her sister's.

"Brooke?" she said sadly. Brooke took a second to respond, and Haley could hear an agonized cry of a child in the background.

"Hales? What's wrong, you sound kind of funny," said Brooke worriedly.

"Everything. We had a fight and he turned off his phone and I have no idea where he is," she said.

"Why isn't he there?" asked Brooke in confusion, handing off the baby in her arms to her mother.

"He stormed out last night. I was being a bitch and he just left," said Haley.

"Any idea where he went?" asked Brooke, dropping onto a sofa.

"Peyton's, probably," said Haley bitterly.

"What?"

"That's what the fight was about. He got a call from her and he took it in the bedroom and then he didn't say what she called about, and I got pissed ant then he said I didn't have a right to be pissed," burst out Haley. Brooke kindly refrained from mentioning that she did not, in fact, have a right to be pissed.

"Bitch," said Brooke sympathetically as she turned around and caught a glimpse of her computer, and the page it was open to. She screamed. "What's wrong?"

"Get back. I don't know why, but I need you. I'm going to have a plan. I'm going to think of a plan and then I'm going to ruin her fucking _life_ and I'm pretty sure I can't do it alone. So get back her and stop sulking," said Haley, clicking off the phone and letting it drop to the ground as she stared at the computer: her husband getting off of Peyton Sawyer to answer the phone. And was it just her imagination, or did the blonde turn toward the webcam to give it one small, triumphant smirk?

XxxxxxX

Nathan drove quickly toward his apartment, feeling guilty. He'd tried to call Haley repeatedly, only to find the line continually busy.

His thoughts switched magically back to Peyton. Was it true, that she really cared for him? Or was she, in true cheerleading fashion, trying to get another notch on her bedpost? Nathan wasn't sure, but somehow she was so sincere. Haley had hurt him deeply, repeatedly. Somehow he was sure that Peyton would never hurt him.

XxxxxxX

Brooke stared at the phone as it clicked off in her hand, and hurriedly took back the boy who was again screaming his head off. She quieted him absently, her eyes darting around the room. She was needed, it seemed. Should she follow the cry of duty, go to Haley, solve her problems? Or should she continue hiding from her own.

"I think I'm going back," she said to her mother in confusion, who nodded slowly after a pause. Both pairs of eyes drifted inevitably to the baby and to the framed document on the wall:

_Jonathon Davis-Scott, born May 8th 2004. Son of Brooke Penelope Davis and Lucas _

_Eugene Scott._


	26. But It Pours

Chapter Twenty-Six: But It Pours

Haley dropped the phone again as Nathan came in through the door.

"Where the hell were you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I just needed time to think," he said.

"You could of at least crashed on the couch," she said.

"Yeah, well, I didn't. Can't we put this all behind us?" asked Nathan. For an instant, Haley's mind flashed to the image of him and Peyton, but she forced herself to block out the painful feelings.

"Of course. I'm glad you're back," she said. Haley suddenly realized how tired she was. Not because of lack of sleep, but because of how she'd had to live through the past few months. It was more intense than any year she'd ever experienced, and she was yearning for release.

XxxxxxX

Brooke bundled her son into his car seat and drove off, her mother watching sadly from the curb. Why was it that all of a sudden Haley mattered more than anything? It didn't make sense to either of them, but Brooke had always known that she'd have to one day face the music.

She smiled to herself as they turned onto the highway and saw that Jack was already asleep. It was so like him. Everyone marveled that he was the most low maintenance baby in the world. He was perfect. Brooke wondered how she could have ever contemplated giving him up, even if he was his son. She wondered if there was any way to shield him from harm-how could she know if Lucas would never hurt him like he'd hurt her? But he couldn't grow up without a father. Brooke knew that Nathan had figured out about Jack. It was only a matter of time before Lucas came looking.

XxxxxxX

Lucas Scott's blue eyes scanned the quad the next day just as school was let out. It didn't take long for him to find her: the dark haired girl was talking to Haley, and members of Haley's entourage were never hard to spot.

She flinched as he reached her and wrapped his hand around her forearm, tugging her away from the group.

"Lucas, go away," she said in annoyance.

"Why won't you talk to me?" he demanded. Haley looked between the two of them and left quickly.

"Because we broke up!" she said.

"Actually, you left a note and now you won't return my calls. Want to tell me what's up?" asked Lucas.

"You know what's up, Luke. You're still in love with her. And I'm not going to be her for you. I've got better things to do with my time," said Davis, hitching her bag higher onto her shoulder before running off after Haley.

Lucas watched her go, knowing it was pointless to fight for her. It was true. Tall, brunette, energetic Davis was a calmer version of his ex-girlfriend. It was an insult to both of them to pretend that this wasn't true.

Dimly he noticed that Nathan and Haley were suddenly at each other's throats, but it didn't truly become apparent until after practice, when she ditched Nathan to find Lucas and listen to him mope about Davis.

"What's wrong with you now?" she asked, finding him on the river court and sitting down on the picnic bench.

"Davis broke up with me," he said, his free shot bouncing off the rim of the net.

"I know. I told her to," said Haley frankly. Lucas abandoned the ball and let it bounce off into the tall grass.

"Why?"

"Because you're being pathetic, and I'm tired of it. She's not Brooke and she's never going to be. In fact no one's ever going to be, until you become a man and fight for her!" said Haley.

"You should have seen her the night she left. Trust me, she doesn't want to be fought for," said Lucas angrily.

"Didn't you guys sleep together that night?" asked Haley innocently. Lucas looked downward.

"It was an accident," he said simply.

"It usually is with you, Luke. I just don't get it. You come out all nice guy, but you've cheated on each and every girl you've ever loved," she said. "And for no good reason! That flat chested blonde skank you cheated on me with, who's currently out to ruin my life? Why, Luke?"

Lucas shrugged, refusing to acknowledge the obvious truth.

"If you don't make a move soon you're going to lose her," warned Haley, standing up.

"I already have," said Lucas, turning away.

"No, you haven't," whispered Haley, thinking of the baby, finally putting together the pieces of the puzzle. "Trust me, Lucas Scott, you have not."

XxxxxxX

Haley looked thoroughly around the apartment to make sure Nathan was home before turning on her computer and checking Peyton Sawyer's webcam. It was fast becoming an addiction. She was drawing blanks, and she hated to have no control over her life.

She watched in boredom for ten minutes at Peyton's empty room before sitting up straighter and turning on the volume as two girls entered.

One was Peyton. The other was a girl Haley had never seen. She was tall, pretty and Hispanic. The two girls laughed and the stranger said something incoherent while Haley stared at the screen.

XxxxxxX

"So, how's your master plan going?" asked Anna, dropping onto Peyton's bed.

"Perfectly. He totally thinks I'm in love with him," said Peyton, cracking a smile.

"Oh, and that you're not out to ruin his wife's life? Perfect," said Anna proudly.

"He was pretty easy to play. Men are like that," said Peyton. She went to sit beside Anna on the bed.

"No wonder you got tired of them so quickly," said the other girl, leaning in slightly.

"No wonder," agreed Peyton, bridging the short distance between their lips.


	27. The Distance

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Distance

Nathan watched Haley's shirt rise slightly as she ran to get the door. Watched the small mark it revealed: the "23" branded on her back. He sighed. The memory of that was somehow so painful, mostly because it was just before everything had gotten complicated.

Her shriek brought him out of his reverie. At the front door was his best friend, Brooke Davis, holding a baby and a suitcase. He smiled and ran toward them.

Brooke hurriedly passed her son to Haley and dropped her bag before Nathan picked her up by the waist and twirled her around. He'd missed her. Brooke was his last link with his old life, and though he'd gone longer before without seeing her (much, much longer) it didn't make short separations any easier.

Nathan set Brooke down and gently took the baby from Haley who was holding it somewhat awkwardly, looking pained and anxious. The baby sighed in his competent hands and drifted easily back to sleep.

"I'm guessing that this is my nephew?" asked Nathan.

"How'd you guess?" asked Brooke sarcastically.

"You're mom's a bad liar," said Haley lightly, looking at his sleeping face.

"So I guess this answers the question of where you've been?" asked Nathan.

"Pretty much. He's cute, isn't he?" said Brooke fondly.

"He's adorable. Come on, lets take a walk. We need to catch up," said Haley. Nathan smiled and rolled his eyes as the two girls walked out and slammed the door of the bedroom, leaving the baby with him.

XxxxxxX

"He cheated on you?" said Brooke in disbelief. Haley nodded slowly and sprang up from the bed. Pulling down several books from the shelf, she reached behind them to get three printed colour photos, which she tossed at Brooke.

They were self explanatory. The first was off Peyton and Nathan on the bed. The second of Peyton crying in Nathan's arm, him speaking soothingly to him. The third was Peyton on the bed with the girl neither of them recognized.

"So Peyton's a lesbian… but she's trying to convince Nathan she's in love with him, because she's out to get you?" said Brooke slowly.

"It's the best I can come up with," said Haley, falling onto the bed and laying on it, fanning out her golden brown hair with her fingers before letting her hands rest on her stomach. Brooke noticed the gesture but said nothing.

"Slut. What do you want me to do?" asked Brooke.

"I don't know yet. I used to be better at thinking up schemes," said Haley.

"Yeah, well, you used to be a bitch," said Brooke encouragingly.

"So sweet," said Haley fondly, smiling at her big sister.

Haley stuff the three photographs under her pillow as the door banged open and Nathan came running in, the baby screaming its head off.

Brooke immediately took him from Nathan and with practiced hands, calmed him down quickly before covertly unbuttoning her shirt and bringing him to her breast. Nathan stared-not because of her revealed flesh, which no longer interested him in the same way, but because of the astonishing revelation that Brooke had grown up without him.

XxxxxxX

Haley's finger hovered over the call button on her cell phone while she sat on the counter and waited for the sink to fill with the water for the dinner dishes.

"Don't, she doesn't want you to meddle in her life," said Nathan, coming into the room with a smile on his face.

"They belong together," argued Haley, turning off the phone and watching the name "Lucas Scott" fade from the display before setting it carefully on the counter.

"They know that, don't worry," he said comfortingly.

"I just wish they could figure it out sooner," she said, swinging her legs back and forth like an impatient child. He went over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. They were almost the same height with her sitting, and usually they were far from it.

"It'll happen," he promised.

"You don't know that," whined Haley.

"Sure I do," he said, leaning down to brush a kiss on her lips. She'd secretly promised to avoid touching him, to punish him, but she found herself unable to. She pressed her lips into his and leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck.

All thoughts of Peyton zoomed out of Nathan's head as he kissed his wife. His Haley, who made his life complete. Perfect, beautiful Haley who made him laugh. What had he been thinking, betraying her?

As Haley felt her husband's lips on hers, she wondered if she'd been seeing straight. How could a man who seemingly loved her this much possibly have cheated on her? It couldn't have happened. Nathan, her Nathan, would never do that to her. They belonged together. People who belonged together didn't just go around kissing other people.

"I love you," she said breaking away, her voice somehow girlish and desperate. He looked surprised and slightly dazed from their kiss.

"I know. I love you too," he said easily, letting the words fall off his tongue like they had so many times before.

"No, you don't know. I couldn't ever explain how much I love you, Nathan. How much I'll always love you. I'm sorry I ever hurt you," she said.

"I do know, Haley. I feel it every time I look at you. Are you okay?" he asked in concern, tipping up her chin so their eyes met.

"I'm fine. But I have to do the dishes," she said. He held out his hands for her to slip off the counter. She didn't exactly need his help, but she took them anyway.

"I'll help," said Nathan, grabbing a dish rag. She raised her eyebrows. "What?"

"Nothing. Help, please," she said, failing to mention that he'd never once helped her do the dishes.

By the time their exchange had ceased, Brooke Davis was silently crying her eyes out, watching the scene from afar. She was quite sure they didn't even understand the meaning of love. No one possibly could, except for her and Lucas, because no one else had participated in their love. That powerful consuming love. And Lucas would follow her everywhere, in his son and in her heart. All the first things he'd been to her would imprint her the rest of her life. His number would always brand her as his.

And the worst part was, she didn't want to be anyone elses.

XxxxxxX

Nathan forced himself not to pry when Haley announced she was going but didn't say where. He knew it wouldn't improve matters much.

He sought out Brooke, who had done her best to hide herself in the tiny apartment. She was outside, on the balcony, sitting on the rail.

"How're you doing?" he asked cautiously. She was facing outward, with her back to him. He couldn't see her face.

"I was in love with you for years. That was so much easier," she said pitifully, tucking her head into his shoulder when he reached her.

"Would you rather you'd never met Lucas?" he asked, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"Some days I think so. The next morning I usually think clearly though," said Brooke. He laughed cynically.

"I know the feeling," admitted Nathan.

XxxxxxX

"Haley," said Karen Scott, her voice guarded as her son's ex-girlfriend came to the door.

"Hey, Mrs. Scott," she said weakly.

"Mrs. Lee. Congratulations," said Karen.

"Is Lucas here?" asked Haley. Karen stood aside and indicated up the staircase. Haley ran.

Lucas was lying flat on his back, throwing a basketball straight into the air. He didn't falter when he heard the door opened, but the ball dropped hard onto his chest when he saw her face.

"She's back," he said. His question was rhetorical.

"I promised I wouldn't tell. I'm glad I didn't promise you wouldn't read my mind," she said.

"That would be a stupid thing to promise," he said.

"You know me. What are you still doing here?" she asked.

"Don't meddle, Hales. It doesn't become you," said Lucas simply.

"She still loves you!" burst out Haley. He looked straight at her, his face full of pain. Feeling remorseful and too full of her own love, Haley went willingly into his arms and held him tightly while his own hands went around her familiar form. She smiled as his lips touched her golden brown hair.

"It'll be okay," she promised him, speaking of more than even she could keep track of.


	28. Code Red

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Code Red

Lucas smiled slightly as he ran past, stealing the ball from Jake, who was staring unashamedly at Peyton. Haley smiled back. Suspecting the Lucas was in a fragile state, Nathan hadn't objected to him hanging around them the entire day.

She gazed around the gym, covertly being truly demonic. Twisting the gold band around her finger, she evaluated every soul in the gym. From Bevin to Tim, no one escaped her radar.

"Teeny, Davis, help me out," she said to the group, after she'd disbanded practice. Davis looked surprised at Haley's requested, Justine Lee looked resentful at being called Teeny, as Nathan called her, but both compiled.

Haley stood completely still until the gym completely emptied. She ignored Nathan when he called out to her, and suddenly he wondered if he'd left the toilet seat up. Lucas called out to her, but Haley didn't notice, even though she didn't need to speak to Lucas.

"Help us out, Princess," said Justine indignantly. Haley snapped out of her reverie.

"I need to talk to you guys," said Haley quickly. Both went over to her quickly.

"What's wrong?" asked Justine, who knew her better.

"Davis, I know I've been a bitch to you. And I'm sorry for that. But you seem fairly trustworthy," said Haley. Davis nodded slowly. "And you, Teeny, are my sister in law. I have to trust you."

"Don't get on Haley James… Lee's… bad side. She can and will make anyone's life a living hell," advised Justine, turning to Davis.

"And that's exactly what I plan on doing," said Haley.

"Who's?" asked Davis in surprise.

"Just trust me. I need you guys to spread out. Tomorrow at precisely 5:15 I need you to be with the biggest group possible in front of the bedroom. Schedule a "group hang" or whatever it is you kids do. Influential people. That matter. Anyway, be turned to this blog and wait," said Haley, handing them each a piece of paper. Justine recognized the address and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Why are you doing this? To hurt Peyton?" prodded Justine.

"Yes, of course," said Haley distractedly. She paused. "To hurt them both."

"I don't get it," said Davis.

"Oh, you will," said Haley ominously, running away to find Lucas.

XxxxxxX

"This is a stupid plan. It's never going to work," said Haley anxiously, kneeling on the bed, her cheerleading skirt spread around her.

"It'll be fine. It'll be great. It's evil and underhand, but it's brilliant," said Brooke soothingly.

"Just keep your back to the camera," said Haley nervously.

"I will. And you'll look after Jackie?" asked Brooke.

"Of course," she replied.

"Maybe you could use the practice?" asked Brooke, subtly hinting. Haley scowled at her, but her face changed immediately when Nathan walked in.

Brooke as miffed that he'd come with knocking before she remembered that it was Nathan's room as much as it was Haley's.

"Damn, Hales," said Nathan, grinning as he caught sight of her uniform. She smiled flirtatiously at him.

"Well, I know you have a thing for cheerleaders," said Nathan.

"Yes, Nathan, she knows. How about you two discuss it some other time?" asked Brooke in annoyance.

"Yeah. Sorry. You wearing that?" asked Haley, evaluating the outfit Brooke had put on, which was simple yet pretty, revealing and not trashy.

"Yep. Nate, I'm going out for a while. Haley's already committed you to watching after Jackie," said Brooke.

"Poor us. Have fun," said Nathan unsuspiciously.

XxxxxxX

Brooke nervously drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, glad of the flirting experience she'd gained in New York in the short gap between leaving Tree Hill and the realization that she was pregnant.

"_Damn you, Lucas Scott,"_ she said to herself, as he again popped into her head. "_Why didn't you stay where you belonged?"_

She should have known. Hadn't their first kiss been a betrayal on his part? Shouldn't that have been a clue? Had he ever truly meant it when he'd told her he loved her? Did he ever tell his new girlfriend the same things? Did _Davis,_ that inferior blonde thing (Brooke knew she was a brunette, but couldn't make herself think of her as that) hear the same words from his lips, see the same look in his pretty eyes? It didn't seem possible, somehow.

Brooke paused for a second before pushing open the door. Haley had warned her that Peyton listened to her music loudly and wouldn't hear a knock. She ran upstairs.

"Hey, Peyton?" said Brooke softly, leaning against the doorframe.

"Oh, hey Brooke. Is that mine?" Peyton walked over and took the neatly folded uniform from Brooke. It was the only excuse that the two girls had been able to concoct. Haley had stolen Peyton's uniform at practice the previous day and left the blonde to go home with her own just so Brooke could have a reason to go over.

"Yeah. Can I hang out? Haley's driving me crazy," said Brooke, walking in and sitting down on the edge of the bed, careful to keep her face far from the camera.

"Haley James will do that to you," said Peyton.

"Haley James-Lee. She and Nathan are fighting and the place is too damn small for a fighting couple and a houseguest," whined Brooke.

"They're fighting?" asked Peyton carefully.

"Viscously. So much for young love."

Brooke watched with interest as Peyton smiled, almost as if she were about to laugh. Peyton Sawyer seemed a girl like any other. Was it truly possible that underneath her blonde curls was a mind capable of ruining anyone's life?

"And Nathan thinks I'm in love with him. Men," said Brooke despairingly, hoping Peyton would take the hint. Peyton sat down beside her.

"I know what you mean," agreed Peyton. Brooke carefully moved her face in the opposite direction of the webcam, and glanced at the clock. 5:15. Computers all over the town could be turning to that very webcam.

"Men always think they have the power to change, you know?" said Brooke, forcing her voice to be low and flirtatious. Gathering her courage, she leaned forward, letting Peyton's lips travel the last few inches.

Making herself believe it was Lucas, Brooke sunk into the kiss. Aware that everyone was watching, she moved closer to Peyton and stuck her hand underneath the back of her shirt. This was easy. The smell of Peyton's breath made her not so curious as to why.

A beeping from the computer made them break apart. Peyton's eyes grew wide with panic when she realized what happened.

"Damnit, that thing was on. You should go," she said hurriedly, switching suddenly from sexually charged lesbian to elite socialite. Brooke grabbed her bag and ran.

XxxxxxX

Haley smiled with satisfaction as all phones in the house-hers, his, theirs-began to ring nonstop. Everyone had seen. Everyone had cared.

When Nathan realized he'd been played he looked slightly sad, but quickly repaired his face. Haley was inclined to believe that he'd learnt his lesson.


	29. What's One More Time?

Chapter Twenty-Nine: What's One More Time?

"It was you, wasn't it?" asked Lucas, stepping into her car. Brooke's breathing sped up at the sound of his voice, the smell of him, the very fact that he was near, but she didn't let it show.

"Haley didn't warn you?"

"She told me what she was doing, but she didn't tell me you were the bait," he explained.

"I thought so. I'm not a lesbian. I was doing it for her benefit," explained Brooke, wondering why she bothered.

"Good to hear. Brooke…" began Lucas.

"Don't. Don't you dare, Lucas Scott. I used to think you were too good for me," she said, looking sideways at him. "Now I know that I'm too good for me."

"Brooke it doesn't matter if you can't bear to hear me say it, if you're just too fragile. I'm sorry I hurt you. It's been eating at me for almost a year now. But I love you, Brooke Davis. I always will. And there's nothing you can do about it," he said.

"Damn you. Why won't you just leave it alone?" she asked.

"I can't, Brooke," he said.

"You can, Luke. You can forget all about me. You did that night, didn't you?" she asked.

"Not for long," he said. She glanced sideways at him and before she could breath his lips were on hers, his arms around her, unable to break away. Even if for some insane reason she wanted to.

"Luke…" she breathed. After months of thinking of him, finally he was hers. Finally he was there, flesh and blood, for her to touch, to love. Finally she was whole again.

Lucas sighed in contentment. No one was like Brooke. No one could kiss like her, feel like her. All the pretty girl he'd been with since her, and none of them had made him feel one tenth what he felt for her. He kissed her eagerly and thoroughly, not knowing when he'd again get the chance.

Eventually Brooke broke away and turned the car into drive.

"We going somewhere?" asked Lucas in surprise.

"Yeah. Haley and Nathan's. I have to show you something," she said, her voice scared but steady.

XxxxxxX

Haley gasped in surprise when Lucas walked in with Brooke. Jackie was in her arms, and she was feeding him with a bottle.

"Luke! This is my sister Vivian's new kid, I'm…" Brooke cut her off.

"Don't bother," she whispered. Lucas looked between the two, but his eyes had settled on the baby before he understood.

"He's mine?" he whispered.

The two women were silent, knowing he knew the truth as Nathan had known.

"He's ours," said Brooke. He turned to her, a mixture of fury and hope on his face. "Don't be mad."

"I'm not mad. I'm…" Lucas took a step toward his child. Jackie was half asleep with barely the energy to drink the milk from the bottle.

"Here," whispered Haley, holding him out to his father. Lucas took the baby and continued to feed him.

"Should we get married, or something?" asked Lucas hesitantly.

"What, to you? Please. He's the only man for me," joked Brooke, indicating her son. Lucas smiled a half smile.

"Are you two together?" asked Haley curiously.

"No," said Brooke quickly.

"No," agreed Lucas. "But I have a hunch that we will be."

XxxxxxX

Nathan stared as Haley walked in. She'd dressed only to save herself from decency, not planning to get out. It didn't bother him. Her freshly washed blonde hair fanned out around her shoulders. Her white tank top revealed a few inches of flesh, and its neckline revealed even more. White was her colour, it brought out the gold in her skin. Her blue jeans were low waisted and snug.

"I want you," he said. She looked down at him and crossed her arms.

"We need to talk," she said, going to the bookshelves and rummaging behind the books before pulling out a solitary photo, one printed off in an ordinary colour printer.

Nathan stared at it. His greatest mistake, the one thing about him he didn't want his wife to know. Peyton Sawyer. He reached out and took it from her.

"I've already gone through denial and a whole hell of a lot of anger, so there's not much left to do but make me accept," she said, sitting down next to him, looking tired.

"I'm sorry. We'd had a fight. I've never regretted anything more. I've never not meant it when I've told you I love you," he said.

"And I don't have the right. I know," she said.

"You do. We're married. You deserve more," he said. She gently took the photo from him and ripped it neatly into eight sections.

"It's okay. Let's just say I've dealt with it in my own fashion," she said, sighing deeply before tucking her head into his shoulder and closing her eyes.


	30. Five Hundred Days

Chapter Thirty: Five Hundred Days

Of course, it wasn't quite that simple. It was two months before they'd begun to fully act like their normal selves. First there was Peyton, throwing herself at Nathan, trying to explain that she really cared. When Brooke and Lucas reconciled, they attempted to get Nathan and Haley back to where they'd been to the point that Haley eventually exclaimed that she felt like she was on the OC, that Brooke was Seth and Lucas was Summer and she was Ryan and she'd punch someone's head in soon if they didn't quit it.

She thought she'd said her message clearly, but it didn't affect anyone that much.

Brooke was welcomed into the Scott's home. Her and Lucas planned to move into their own place as soon as they could afford it, but Karen was in no hurry to let them go. Astonishing nearly everyone, Lucas dropped out of the team to spend more time with her and the baby.

And so it was then, as senior year drew to a close, with Haley and Nathan still at odds, that Nathan finally saw what was staring him right in the face.

She looked up in surprise when he ran into their apartment. She'd cancelled cheerleading practice, but he should have been at basketball.

"Hey, you're home early," she said in surprise.

"Yeah. Something just occurred to me," he said. She nodded expectantly. "The only thing I don't understand is why you came up with an evil mastermind plot to make me come back to you instead of just telling me you were pregnant."

Haley took a deep breath.

"Okay, two things. Number one, who told you about the evil mastermind plot?" demanded Haley.

"Justine. She can't keep secrets for her life. What's the other thing?" he asked.

"Who told you I was pregnant?"

"Figured that one out by myself. Why, Haley?" he asked.

"Because. I wanted you to learn a lesson. I didn't want you to be with me because you had to. I was afraid you'd eventually get scary and resentful," she said.

"Never," he promised. He'd been crouching on the floor in front of her, and in one fluid moment he was on the couch with her in his arms.

"I guess I was scared," she mumbled.

"I'm so sorry," he said fervently.

"Well, you should be," she said, leaning back her head to kiss him.

Nathan smiled in relief. The baby thing was somewhat terrifying, but nothing he couldn't handle.

"Are you guys finally being normal again?" asked Brooke, coming in with Jackie in her arms, followed closely by Lucas. Haley blushed.

"As we'll ever be. Hey, I'm pregnant," she announced to the assembled group.

"Hey, everyone knew that. God, could you be slower on the uptake?" asked Brooke, dropping onto the couch opposite.

"I could try. Nathan got into UCLA the other day," said Haley proudly.

"You two are going?" asked Brooke, looking temporarily fragile.

"Yeah. What about you two?" asked Haley.

"We're doing some classes at Duke. We'll go full time when he gets bigger," said Brooke. Haley nodded understandingly.

The four were silent for a moment, imagining their pending separation.

"College is going to be awesome. Like the Classic twenty-four seven," commented Brooke.

"With studying. That was a fairly impressive Classic tournament," said Haley.

"Yeah. It wasn't nearly as good this year without you," said Lucas, lightly kissing Brooke.

"No cheerleaders got sick, I didn't go skinny dipping in the middle of the night to be caught by a dark stranger. It was fairly lacking," agreed Haley.

"You guys spent that night together? Weren't we still together?" asked Lucas suspiciously.

"Come on, you two made out in their room," said Nathan, laughing. Haley smiled and leaned against him.

"That was an accident," defended Brooke blushingly.

"Oh yeah?" teased Lucas. They kissed again. The sight which had once revolted Haley was somehow pleasing in her eyes.

"Nate, let's make ourselves scarce," said Haley, as their kisses deepened. Brooke and Lucas broke apart as Haley and Nathan stood.

"You guys can stay," said Brooke, looking down to the silver ring on her right hand.

"Nah, we'll make our own party," said Haley, taking Nathan's hand. Brooke and Lucas laughed as they vanished into their bedroom.

By then, it had been a year and a half. Over five-hundred days since the four of them had abruptly collided and begun interacting. Five hundred days of pain, loss, love, betrayal.

Five hundred days that they wouldn't give back for the world.

The End

_Author's note: I'll say again that this story is dedicated to Ange, with thanks, as ever, to BOB. _

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